Learning to Walk Again
by ArtGirlie815
Summary: Professor X, or better known as Charles Xavier, finally gets some time to himself. He takes a trip down memory lane where the stories are still so vivid. A look into Charles Xavier's life of love, joy, and loss First Class Era M for later chapters
1. Chapter 1: Seeking Advice

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men otherwise Charles would not be paralyzed and mutants would be loved by everyone!

Ok so i may get some details wrong at points so bear with me. I'm trying.

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><p>Prologue: A Situation<p>

Scott Summers thought he knew Jean Grey; absolutely everything about her. However, the incident at Liberty Island seemed to have changed her in some way.

She was angrier. She kept closing him out, not letting him help her. She frequently got severe headaches that were crippling to her. It took everything just to convince her to rest.

Now, three months later, Scott had finally hit the wall. Jean had shut him out completely; eventually resulting to locking herself away in the lab for a ridiculous amount of hours. He only knew one other person in the institute that knew what to do about Jean.

The man who was the closest thing he had to a father; the man who had found both himself and Jean.

Charles Xavier.

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><p>Chapter 1: Seeking Advice<p>

Scott quietly crept around the corner into the kitchen, hoping not to make to much noise this early in the morning. All the "senior" mutants knew the first one up was in charge of making breakfast for the young ones. That was most definitely not his goal.

All he wanted was a quick breakfast, then to find the Professor.

He slowly pulled out a bowl from the dishwasher, taking care not hit any of the other dishes. The cereal was already out on the counter. Scott raised an eyebrow and glanced at the sink. Another bowl was resting there alone.

Only one other person typically got up earlier than himself: Logan. Scott never understood why he got up so early, but never really cared enough to question the thought any further. Logan kept to himself, not that it bothered Scott at all.

Scott practically inhaled the cereal. He had not been really hungry to begin with.

"Good Morning," came a soft voice from behind him. Scott snapped around to see the source finding Ororo shuffling in her robe. "I'm surprised you're up."

"I've got stuff to do today, so I wanted an early start," Scott murmured standing up and striding over to the sink.

Ororo stared at him as she leaned against the counter opposite from him. "Have you talked to Jean?" Scott glared at her. "Stay out of it," he growled.

"I'm worried about her Scott. She listens to you.'

"Well, not any more!" Scott snapped, storming out. He took tore out into the gardens, stopping at the stone fence facing the satellite dish.

_"It didn't always face this way,"_ a voice chuckled through Scott's mind. Scott pursed his lips and gripped the stone till his knuckles turned white.

The slick metal wheelchair pulled up next to him, the man in it leaning forward onto his hands. "Would you like to see?" he asked in his usual deep, calming tone. It was not like he really had a choice in the matter. Scott's mind clouded briefly before revealing a familiar setting.

_It was a clear blue day, possibly some time during early fall. The grass was still green, but the air was cool. _

_There were two men standing in the middle of the gravel path. One wore grey work out sweats and appeared to be older than his counterpart. He was most definitely taller. The other man was shorter and was neatly dressed. He had longer hair and piercing blue eyes. In his hand he held a pistol. He hesitantly raised it to the taller man's temple and cocked it. His hand was apparently unsteady and he looked uneasy. The tall man appeared to brace himself. However, it was not a look of fear on his face; it was a wild look. _

_They stood like this for a few seconds before the shorter man lowered the pistol, turning out towards the lawn away from the other man. _

_"I can't. I can't shoot anyone point blank, especially not my friend!" the shorter man exclaimed in a thick English accent. _

_"Come on! You know I can deflect it! Just shoot!" a man in the sweats urged lifting the pistol back up to his head._

_"Exactly! The point of training is to challenge yourself! If you know you can deflect it then you are not challenging yourself!" the shorter man exclaimed in an exasperated tone. _

_The second man rolled his eyes. "Come on, Charles!"_

_"What happened to the man who wanted to stop a submarine?" the man named Charles asked. This seemed to strike a note with the other. _

_"I was angry. I need the anger to do that. I don't have that," the man replied._

_"No you don't," Charles said, an idea coming to him. "Come here," he said jogging lightly down to the stone fence. The other man followed slightly behind. _

_"You see that? Make it face us," Charles said, pointing out towards the huge satellite dish. _

_The other man sighed braced himself. He seemed to be in deep concentration, his face reddening slightly. He stopped and gasped, leaning against the fence. "I can't," he breathed._

_"I believe that true focus lies at the point between rage and serenity. May I?" Charles asked tapping two fingers against his temple. The other man shrugged slightly. Charles placed the two fingers against the side of his head slowly closing his eyes._

_The other man gasped as his head filled with a memory he had believed he had lost; one of this himself and his mother lighting a Menorah. A single tear streamed down his face, the same with Charles. _

_"What did you do to me?" the man whispered._

_"I accessed the brightest memory in your brain. It was very beautiful, thank you, Erik," Charles replied softly. _

_"I didn't know I still had that," Erik whispered. _

_"Now, try again," Charles said motioning back out to the satellite._

_Erik took a deep breath and began again. Slowly but surely the dish shifted towards the men. A few tears escaped Erik's eyes, as Charles smiled on in the background. _

_Erik finally let go of his hold on the satellite and collapsed against the fence. Charles laughed triumphantly and patted his friend on the back, who also began to laugh as well._

The scene faded away from Scott's mind. He blinked his eyes and looked down at the man next to him.

"Couldn't hurt anybody even back then, Charles?" Scott said smirking.

"No, Scott, never," Charles answered. There was a moment of silence between the two of them. "I understand you would like to speak to me," the Professor said slowly.

Scott sighed and rested his head in hands as leaned against the fence. "Yeah, it's about Jean."

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><p>AN: I know you read this now so pleeeeeeeease review! It is extremely appreciated. I need feedback to keep going.

Ok enough complaining :) I love my readers, I really do just remember to review!


	2. Chapter 2: Not Alone

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men otherwise Charles would not be paralyzed and mutants would be loved by everyone!

A/N: THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WONDERFUL REVIEWS! KEEP IT UP!

To comment on Scott's behavior in the last chapter: In my view, Scott really loves Jean and he's worried about her, so hence the snapping. Everyone makes quick remarks with out thinking. Don't worry, he will apologize. :)

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><p>Chapter 2: Not alone<p>

_"I thought I was alone," Erik said_

_"No, Erik, you're not alone," Charles replied._

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><p>Charles led Scott into his office and motioned for him to take a seat. He took his place behind his desk and leaned forward. Scott began to fidget nervously under the Professor's gaze.<p>

"I suppose you are wondering about Jean's behavior?" Charles asked.

"That's part of it," Scott mumbled, still not making eye contact.

Charles raised an eyebrow questioningly, "Alright, we shall begin there." Scott sat up a little straighter.

"You must first understand that Jean is a very different mutant. I knew this from the day Erik and I found her as a young girl. She has yet to realize the full extent of her abilities, which in some ways limits and benefits her," Charles said.

Scott leaned forward onto the arm of his chair, listening intently. "Have you found many mutants like Jean?" he asked.

Charles hesitated slightly before he continued, "No, I haven't. Jean was different. Ever since the incident ad Liberty Island, the barriers I had placed in her mind have begun to break down. I had hoped she would have learned more control when the time had come."

"Hmmm. She will be okay right?" Scott asked, a look of worry etched into his features.

"I believe she will; we just have to be patient," Charles replied offering a comforting smile.

Scott smiled in return, "That's a relief."

Charles leaned back in his chair and chuckled, "Now, what else was it you wanted to discuss?"

Scott flushed slightly, "When I came here, you told me that I could tell you anything. I'd like to believe that still holds true after all these years."

"Yes, of course," Charles replied smiling.

Scott shifted and dug his hand into his pocket. He pulled out a small box and laid it down on the desk.

Charles chuckled, "No need to open it; it is beautiful."

"I had wanted to give that to her, but with the most recent events the right moment hasn't exactly presented itself."

Charles continued to smile, "Oh, you will know when the moment comes."

It was Scott's turn to laugh this time, "Speaking from experience, Professor?"

The smile on the professor's face fell slightly. He opened his mouth to speak, but was cut short by a knock on the door. "Come in."

Ororo and Logan entered the room, Logan looking quite amused.

"Aw are we having a heartfelt moment?" Logan said in a mocking voice, lounging on the couch not to far from the desk. Scott glared back at Logan, "Bring it on One Eye," Logan coaxed.

"Not here, gentlemen," Charles said. "What is that you want?"

"I just wanted to inform you that the students are ready for their trip to the museum," Ororo said.

"Very well, we shall continue our conversation later tonight then Scott," the Professor said. The three took this as their cue to leave the office.

"I'll be back Professor and expect an explanation to you hesitation before," Scott said getting up to leave. Charles raised an eyebrow. Scott smiled and exited, leaving the Professor to his thoughts.

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><p>After he was sure the children had left to go to the museum, Charles ventured out into the back gardens for some much needed alone time. If there was one thing he found that he had come to dislike about the school was the fact there was always someone who needed him.<p>

It was not that he minded terribly that the children knew they could come to him; it was the lack of privacy. There were days he wished he could just take away into his study and work, or even in the lab, but those times grew few over the years.

Xavier chuckled to himself as he looked back at the house. He could remember when he was child living here. He was twelve years old when he met another mutant.

It had been a thrilling moment.

_Young Charles Xavier lay asleep in his room. Despite his young age he was a light sleeper. This was not because he had some strange disorder or paranoia; it was because of his mutation._

_Charles was a telopath, meaning he had the ability to read other people's minds and even control their minds if need be. He had taken habit to sleeping light in order to track the thoughts of the maid in case she got up for snacks in the middle of the night._

_However, tonight was different. When Charles was awoken this night it was the maid doing the waking. The mind was unfamiliar; foreign._

_Arming himself with a wooden baseball bat, he crept down the stairs slowly in order to avoid the old wood from creaking. The house was dark except for a light coming from the kitchen._

_As Charles entered the room, the person standing before him was not at all what he was expecting._

_He lowered the bat and sighed, relaxing slightly. "Mother, I thought you were a burglar."_

_"Sorry, dear, I was just getting my self a snack. Off to bed." The woman answered closing the refrigerator._

_Charles hesitated._

_"How 'bout I make you a hot chocolate?" she said bending down to his height. This was what got the young boy's attention._

_"Who are you?" he asked glancing sideways at a picture of his mother and himself on wall. "And what have you done with my mother?"_

_The woman looked taken back. Charles continued to speak, but this time he tapped into the woman's mind in a whispering, yet angry voice. "My mother has never set foot in this kitchen and she most certainly has never made me hot chocolate, unless you count ordering the maid to do it," Charles said._

_The woman looked around wildly and held her head as Charles spoke to her. Once he finished, she looked at him and then the most peculiar thing happened._

_She began to shrink and her skin became blue. She no longer had the blonde hair of his mother, but bright red hair that was slicked back. It was as if she was transforming into another figure, but yet still slightly human._

_It was no longer a woman that stood before Charles; it was a very young girl who looked frightened yet intrigued._

_"You're not scared of me?" she asked in a small voice._

_Charles smiled brightly, "I knew I couldn't be the only one in the world. Charles Xavier," he said offering his hand to the girl._

_"Raven," the girl replied shaking his hand._

_"You're hungry? We have plenty of food; you don't have to steal, take whatever you like," Charles continued motioning to the pantry behind him._

_The girl smiled, nodding vigorously._

_"In fact, you never have to steal again," Charles said._

The memory faded away and the gardens came back into focus. Charles remembered that night very clearly.

His heart hurt slightly at the thought of his old friend. Things had changed so much since 1944. For one thing there were most definitely more mutants. Raven and he were not alone.

He looked up at the school and smiled, "Mutant and proud."

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><p>"Hey, kids! No touching the statues! I said stop!" Logan snapped jogging over to pull two of the younger kids off the statue of a caveman. Scott chuckled as he came back holding one kid under each arm. "Don't even think about it One-Eye," Logan growled.<p>

Jean walked over and stood next to Scott. "It's quite entertaining to watch him with the little ones isn't it," She said. Scott laughed again, "Most definitely."

"Sorry about my behavior this week. My head has been killing me, but I feel so much better," Jean continued.

Scott looked at her and smiled, "That's great. You had me worried for awhile."

Jean returned the smile and walked over to a group of kids that were standing by the informational videos. Scott felt some what relieved _"Now I won't have to go back to Xavier tonight," _he thought, but still something still felt wrong.

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><p>AN: So what you think? Please Please Please REVIEW! Its motivating :)


	3. Chapter 3: I Cant Feel My Legs

A/N: Ok i screwed up big time! I poseted Chapter 4 as Chapter 3! So stupid! hopefully this will fix that huge gap that was in between chapters.

Oh yes, and i still am not getting many reviews... I just want to know whether you guys like the story or not, so just send me a little review saying so.

Anyways here's the real chapter 3

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><p>Chapter 3: I can't feel my legs<p>

"_Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?" –Charles Xavier_

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><p>The students returned to the school around 4:30pm. The professor had enjoyed the quiet time, but he sensed an uneasy feeling among some of the teachers. He heard the kids run up the stairs, laughing as they went. He chuckled to himself, enjoying the sound.<p>

Xavier glanced at the clock and wondered whether Scott was truly going to come back tonight. His question was answered shortly after when there was a knock at the door. However, it was not Scott behind the door, it was Jean.

"Are you busy Professor?" she asked poking her head in the door.

"I am never busy when you need me, my dear," Charles replied motioning for her to come in.

Jean squeezed in the door and shut it quietly behind her.

"I believe that you have come here to talk about Scott," he said leaning forward on one hand, two fingers pressed against his temple.

"I thought you said you would never read my mind?" Jean asked sitting down in front of him.

Charles chuckled, "Sorry, my dear."

Jean flushed slightly, "So, yeah, what did Scott come to talk to you about? I noticed he got up early."

"He came to talk about you. He was worried," Charles replied.

"Oh, well, you told him I'm fine, right?" she asked.

"Yes, I did," the Professor said pressing her forward; he could tell that she didn't want to talk about the situation.

Jean stood up and walked over to Charles's bookshelf. She touched the photo of a younger Charles holding a diploma from Oxford. Next to him was another woman. Jean had never seen this woman before.

"Is this you?" she asked motioning to the picture.

Charles wheeled over to her and laughed. "Why yes it is."

"No, offense, but you're standing here." She said

"That's 1962 so, yes, I'm standing," Charles replied.

"How did it happen?" Jean asked quietly.

"Yes, Charles, how did it happen?" Logan asked from the doorway. Behind him Scott was looking in as well.

"Who said you could come in?" Jean asked the two men.

"It's alright, Jean, they can come in," the Professor said.

Logan didn't hesitate any further and took a seat on the couch. Scott continued to linger in the doorway.

"Continue," Logan said motioning to Charles with a cigar in his hands.

Charles pressed two fingers against his temple and closed his eyes, allowing a memory to flood into his three companions' minds.

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><p>"<em>The enemy is out there! My brothers, sisters, they are the enemy. Americans, Soviets, Humans," Erik Lehnsherr shouted as he walked down the beach towards the masses of warships that lie just off shore. <em>

_Behind him was the wreckage of Shaw's submarine and Hank's jet; just in front of that stood nine other mutants. _

_Banshee was leaning onto Beast and Havoc. Mystique stood with the three, looking on in horror. Charles slowly walked forward towards Erik._

"_I can feel their metal, their guns, turning towards us. Go ahead, Charles, tell me if I'm wrong," Erik said turning to his friend. _

_Charles touched his temple, his face falling. He turned towards Moira and nodded slowly. She ran towards the jet to call off the attack. _

_Charles knew that is was no use. The Americans and Soviets had made up their minds. He braced himself for the evitable. He knew the captains had readied their men. He knew when they released the order to fire. _

_He wasn't ready._

_The hundreds of missiles flew through the air towards the innocent mutants. _

_Erik lifted his hand and froze the missiles in mid-air. Charles couldn't help but let a smile escape onto his lips. However, he didn't predict Erik's next move. He turned the missiles around and made them face the fleet. _

_When Erik released the volley, Charles mind snapped back into action._

"_That's enough Erik! There are hundreds of innocent men aboard those ships who are just following orders!" He yelled._

"_I've been at the mercy of men just following orders; never again," Erik replied through clenched teeth. _

_Charles' shouts to get Erik's attention were useless. His heart hurt; he couldn't just stand by and let him kill all those men. _

_In a matter of seconds, Charles decided to take the situation into his own hands. He charged towards Erik, knocking him off his feet and breaking the magnetic control on the missiles. _

_Erik tried to push the man off, but Charles was being stubborn. "I don't want to hurt you!" Erik hissed, Charles didn't hear. Erik had no other choice; he elbowed Charles in the face and snapped up to gain control of the missiles once again._

_Charles snapped up and continued his assault, breaking the control once again. Erik, now straddling Xavier punched him in the face and jumped up once again. Charles rolled over in the sand, holding his face in pain. _

_His head was throbbing. He didn't hear Moira begin to fire upon Erik, nor did he see Erik begin to deflect the bullets wildly. He jumped up to pull Erik out of the line of fire._

_It all happened so quickly. _

_All Charles knew next was a searing pain at the base of his spine._

_Everything was in slow motion. He couldn't even call out due to the intensity of the pain. He now lay in the arms of Erik who wore a look of shear panic and concern. _

"_Charles…I…"Erik stuttered cradling his friend. "Stay back!" he yelled, forcing the advancement of Beast, Havoc, Banshee, and Mystique to come to a halt. Mystique was covering her face as if to wipe the image from her mind._

"_This is what they wanted, for us to turn against each other. I tried to warn you," Erik sobbed. He lifted his head to see Moira approaching the two and rage seared through his veins. "You did this!" he exclaimed, pulling the dog tags that she wore tight around her neck. _

_She gasped as she began to choke. Charles pulled out of the cloud of pain in his mind._

"_No Erik, you did," he choked out, his vision blurring. _

_Erik released his hold on Moira and looked down on his suffering friend. _

"_I want you by my side. We're brothers, all of us. We need to protect each other, we want the same thing," he whispered._

"_No my friend, we do not," Charles replied. _

_Erik motioned for Moira to take his place. Charles winced at the shifting movement. The next face he saw was Mystique's._

_Her face eased his pain slightly, but he knew exactly what she wanted. The want pained him more than the bullet hole in his spine._

"_Go with him, that's what you want," he said grabbing her hand._

"_You promised you would never read my mind," she said, her voice cracking._

"_I'm afraid I have promised you many things, my dear," he replied kissing her hand._

_She kissed his forehead and said something to Moira before getting up and joining Erik._

_Then they were gone. Beast rushed over to Charles' side._

"_Just lay still Charles. It's going to be okay," Beast said steadying Charles._

"_I won't," he replied allowing himself to be shifted. His back throbbed, but nothing below that had any sensation. "Actually, I can't. I can't feel my legs," Charles said. _

"_I can't feel my legs," He said again in a small voice, knowing what lie ahead._

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><p>AN: REVIEW!


	4. Chapter 4:In the Hospital

NOTE TO MY READERS: THIS IS THE CHAPTER PREVIOUSLY POSTED AS CHAPTER 3 ITS REALLY CHAPTER 4. gO BACK AND READ CHAPTER 3 FOR THIS TO MAKE SENSE!

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men otherwise Charles would not be paralyzed and mutants would be loved by everyone!

Anyways, in this chapter i put some spanish statements followed by their translations. it fit the setting :)

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><p>Chapter 4: In the hospital<p>

_"We have it in us to be the better man," Charles said. "We already are," Erik replied._

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><p><em>The next thing Charles knew was that he was laying in a hospital bed somewhere in Cuba. His vision was slightly blurred and his throat was extremely dry. <em>

_There was a woman sitting in chair next to the bed._

_"Moira?" he called out in a raspy voice. The woman got up and leaned over Charles' bed._

_"Charles! You're awake. Let me go get the boys," Moira said turning to leave._

_"Wait, Moira… water," Charles gasped, grapping her hand._

_"Oh! Charles, I'm sorry!" she exclaimed grabbing the water pitcher; pouring him a small cup. Charles drank the water slowly, but gratefully._

_"I'm going to get the boys," Moira said patting Charles' hand._

_Once she left, he leaned back against the pillows and sighed. He shifted his hips and gasped. A sharp pain shot up his back, causing him to groan. Charles pulled back to the covers and touched his thigh. If he hadn't seen himself do it, he wouldn't have known._

_He had no feeling from his hips down. Charles tried to pick up his leg, but failed. He growled lowly as he picked up his leg and dropped it. There was no movement. Charles laid his head back down against the pillow and closed his eyes._

_ I__t was true. He couldn't feel his legs. He wouldn't walk again. He felt his eyes tear up, but he refused to let them fall. This would not be a limitation. The mutants still needed him; they needed guidance._

_"Charles?" Moira called from the door way to see if he was awake still._

_"I'm awake," Charles replied softly, opening his eyes slowly. Before him were Beast, Havoc, Banshee, and Moira. Each wore a look of uncertainty._

_Banshee's arm was in a sling and Havoc had some stitches above is eyebrow. Beast had some bandages around his arm and his glasses were taped together in the middle._

_"Well, aren't we a beautiful group?" Charles joked, laughing slightly. He gasped in pain, which caused the four to lurch forward to help. "I'm fine, I'm fine," he assured his friends._

_Beast swallowed hard and looked the professor over. "No you're not," he said, his voice cracking at the end._

_Charles sighed, "This," he said motioning to his legs, "Is just a hitch in the plan."_

_"Charles, don't you understand? You are paralyzed from the waist down," Moira choked out. "This is my entire fault," she sobbed._

_"Moira, no! Don't you think that one minute," Charles said taking her hand in his. He patted it comfortingly. "This is not your fault. If it is anyone's fault, it is my own," he explained._

_"Dude, no way!" Banshee exclaimed._

_"Banshee is right! This is not your fault Professor. It's that son of a bitch, Erik's" Havoc hissed._

_Charles winced at his friends harsh words. "Please, do not blame Erik," Charles asked._

_"Why not? That bastard even changed Mystique's mind!" Banshee yelled._

_Charles held his head, "There is no need to yell, Banshee," he said quietly._

_"Right, sorry Professor."_

_The five sat in silence for a bit._

_"Charles needs rest, boys. Why don't we leave and let him sleep?" Moira said quietly walking towards the door._

_"Yeah, she's right come on," Beast said nodding towards the door. He patted Charles' foot and smiled._

_"Hank, I can't feel that," Charles said, smiling slightly. Beast pulled his hand back and the smile disappeared from his face. "Don't worry about it, my friend," Charles continued._

_Beast looked away and walked out the door. Havoc and Banshee mumbled a good bye before following Beast out. Moira held back for a bit. She walked back over to the bed. She leaned over and kissed Charles on the forehead._

_"Just rest, I'll take care of them," She whispered in his ear, before exiting as well._

_Charles sighed, he was alone once again._

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><p><em>The rest of the day went about quietly. A doctor came in a few times to check or change his bandage. <em>

_It became an established routine for the next few days._

_He would wake up; a nurse would help him into his chair. He would wheel himself to the bathroom, lift himself onto the toilet cautiously, and then lower himself back into the chair. Then it was back to bed._

_Charles would lie there for hours just thinking. He would try and reach out to other mutants; searching for them._

_He wanted to feel the presence of his kind. It was comforting. After three days, Charles realized he wasn't searching for other mutants. He was searching for Mystique and Erik, or Magneto as he was called now. But each time he failed._

_They were blocking him; it was strange._

_He found himself developing headaches more often. This of course would earn him a lecture from either Moira or Hank. They would scold him for over working himself, but he ignored them._

_He appreciated their company, but he missed his best friends; his family._

_It had been a week since the beach incident. The doctors were impressed with his progression and had begun to consider releasing him soon._

_Moira had promised him she would be there to take him home, when the time came._

_It was 8:00 pm; time for his final shot of the day. He hated needles and the needle the doctor used was much larger than he preferred to see._

_Charles braced himself for the pinch just above his spine; closing his eyes tightly and clenching his fists in the blankets._

_"Un momento señor, esto afectará un poco (One moment sir, this will hurt just a bit)," the doctor said in a thick Cuban accent._

_Charles nodded, understanding what the doctor said._

_The shot lasted longer than it needed to in his opinion, despite the fact it was only a matter of seconds._

_"Todo listo. Estamos pensando en liberar hasta mañana el Sr. Xavier. Hasta que haya sanado muy bien (All done. We are thinking of releasing you tomorrow Mr. Xavier. You have healed up very nicely)." The doctor said smiling kindly. "Usted tiene a alguien para que lo recoja? (You have someone to pick you up?)" he continued._

_"Sí, lo hago (yes, I do)" Charles replied easing himself back into a leaning position._

_The doctor smiled and left Charles again._

_It was dark out now._

_"Donde esta sala Charles Xavier?_ _ (where is Charles Xavier's room?)" came a voice from outside his room. Charles opened his eyes, recognizing it instantly. He glanced at the clock, seeing it was 10:00 pm._

_"Creo que está durmiendo, pero la habitación es por aquí_ (_I believe he is sleeping, but the room is right over here)," a nurse said leading the visitor over to the room._

_Charles closed his eyes again and faked sleeping. He noticed that there were to sets of footsteps, besides the nurse's._

_He heard the door close and the one of the visitors take a seat; the other pulled a chair next to his bed._

_There was silence for a long period. It was broken by a sob._

_"Shush, he's asleep," a man with a slight accent whispered._

_"Sorry," a woman answered softly, stifling another sob._

_Charles shifted his shoulders. He heard a rustle and then felt his hand being grabbed by the woman's hand._

_"Charles?" she whispered._

_"I thought you two would have never come," Charles replied quietly, a smile forming on his lips. He opened his eyes and saw Mystique hovering close to him, her eyes shining. Charles patted her hand with his other._

_"I'm sorry," she whispered, closing her eyes, a single tear escaping. Charles reached up and wiped it away from her cheek. He noted she was in her human form at this time; most likely for security reasons._

_"I had to come see you, as well," Erik said leaning into view._

_Charles chuckled, "I'm surprised."_

_"Surprised? Why wouldn't I come?" Erik scoffed._

_"I'm assuming you wouldn't want to face the others, am I correct?" Charles asked, raising an eyebrow._

_"Stay out of my head, Charles," Erik said smiling slightly._

_"Does it hurt?" Raven interrupted._

_"When I get that bloody shot, yes. Other than that, I can't feel below my waist," Charles replied, turning his attention to his oldest friend._

_Raven blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears._

_"I will be okay," Charles assured her. He paused as he felt a new presence approaching. "I hate to cut this short, I really do, but Moira is coming up here. She is on the first floor," Charles said looking sad._

_"Then we shall take our leave," Erik said getting up from his chair. "If you need me, you know how to find me," he said tapping his head. Charles smiled, nodding in agreement._

_Raven hesitated letting go of Charles' hand. Erik was already out the door. Raven looked down at Charles and smiled. "Be safe, please," she whispered kissing him lightly on the lips before following Erik._

_Charles' heart ached as he watched them go. The ache didn't lessen when Moira appeared smiling. He gave her a weak smile and rolled over, pulling the blankets with him. He just needed to be alone._

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><p>The memory faded from the mutants' minds.<p>

The professor slumped back against his chair and watched his friends.

"Does that answer your question?" he asked Jean, who looked shocked.

"I'm sorry, sir, I didn't want to meddle," she replied looking down.

"It is fine. Now if you would excuse me I would like to return to my studies," Charles said signaling for them to leave. He was losing control of his emotions and he didn't want them there to see it.

Logan, Scott, and Jean got up exited the office quietly, their minds reeling with what they had just seen.

Charles sighed and allowed one tear to slide down his face.

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><p>AN: Don't forget to review or no update! Love all my readers :)


	5. Chapter 5: A New Beginning

a/n: So I decided to be nice and post another chapter...

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><p>Chapter 5: A New Beginning<p>

"_I won't stop you leaving… I could, but I won't," Charles Xavier_

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><p>Two weeks passed since Charles had showed his memory to Logan, Scott, and Jean. They seemed to be avoiding the Professor; watching what they said to him.<p>

It was getting very awkward.

This morning, however, Charles didn't mind the alone time. It was break for the children, so the house was pretty quiet. He took to wandering around the house, checking on the few still there for the holidays.

He also took this time to let his mind wander. Telling Jean about how he became paralyzed opened up wounds that he had buried deep down.

He began to think of _her_. The memory was painful, but part of him didn't want to suppress the thought. Charles longed to hear her again, to touch her, but it was impossible.

Charles found himself back in his room staring at his bed. It was incredibly tempting.

"_Just a quick nap would easy my mind," _he thought wheeling himself next to the mattress. He lifted himself up onto the soft sheets, maneuvering his legs under the sheets as he went.

He had become quite skilled at this over the years. Charles allowed himself to sink into the pillows and let his eyes grow heavy.

It was not long before sleep came.

"_We are going to need teachers eventually," Hank McCoy said taking a bite of his toast. Charles Xavier took a sip from his coffee and looked out the kitchen window._

"_Well, of course, but first it helps to have more mutants," Charles replied looking at his friend._

"_You're referring to Cerebro?" Hank asked raising an eyebrow._

_Charles chuckled, "Possibly."_

"_I'm almost finished rebuilding it. Havoc has helped by handing me pieces as I go. Banshee has been practicing his flying, so that keeps him occupied," Hank said continuing to eat. _

_Charles's brow furrowed in thought, "That's good."_

"_Have you heard from him?" Hank asked cautiously._

_Charles froze in mid drink, "No." He knew exactly who _He_ was. Hank was referring to Magneto. _

"_Ah, okay," Hank said dropping the subject. _

_The Professor sighed, looking back out the window. "Banshee is not going to be able to practice much longer," he said._

_Hank looked up from the newspaper questioningly._

"_I have lived here for a good portion of my life, my friend. The snow is coming. It would be crazy to practice then. The drifts get pretty deep," Charles answered. _

"_I am not pulling Banshee out of snow, no matter how much fur I have," Hank exclaimed._

_Charles laughed deeply, smiling at his friend. "Of course not," he said finishing off his coffee. He set the cup down in his lap and placed his hands on the wheels of his chair. They felt cold and hard. He hated the metal contraption he was confined to. _

_He wheeled himself over to the sink and placed the cup down in it. As he tried to leave the kitchen he cut the corner of the island too close, clipping his knee on the edge. Charles hissed in pain, grabbing his knee. _

_Hank was beside the Professor in a heart beat. "Are you okay?" he asked squatting next him. _

_Charles rubbed his knee then realized there was no pain; he hadn't felt a thing. This mind was just so use to pain being the reaction that that was the conclusion he had drawn. He laughed slightly and looked at Hank, who was freaking out._

"_I'm fine; I didn't feel it at all. It was just a reaction," Charles explained simply, shrugging off the matter. _

_Hank backed off slowly and went back to the table. Charles took a deep breath and backed up, attempting the corner again. This time he had much more success. He rolled through the doorway with ease. _

_He rolled his way down the wide hallway to the elevator that would take him down to the new levels Hank had been working on. It was absolutely amazing. _

_Hank had been telling him about the plans every morning and dinner, each time he gained even more enthusiasm. Charles came to a room with tiles that looked much like the ones in Cerebro. This room was rather large, but had nothing in it. _

"This must be the training room Hank was talking about," _Charles thought smiling. He continued down the hall and came to another set of doors. This time he knew exactly what was behind these. _

_He pressed the button to open the doors and smiled to himself. This Cerebro was much larger than the last one. Hank had even made the helmet and controls at the level of Charles' wheelchair. It was a sad and thoughtful gesture. Charles hated thinking he would never stand again. _

"_Impressive isn't it?" Hank asked now standing in the doorway._

"_It's fabulous," Charles said flashing him a smile of pure delight. _

"_It needs to be tested. I looked at the wiring a minute ago and everything looks good to go," Hank said walking along the catwalk to where Charles sat. _

_If it was possible, Charles' smile grew even bigger. Hank seemed to have a skill at knowing how to cheer the Professor up. _

"_Well, what are we waiting for?" Charles asked. Hank grabbed the helmet and handed it to Charles. _

"_The thing that's different in this Cerebro is that I can't be in here while you use it; well, correction, no one besides yourself can be in here while you use it," Hank instructed pressing a few buttons on the controls._

"_Why would that be?" Charles asked positioning the helmet on his head. _

_Hank paused and looked him, "If you concentrated too hard, you would kill me or anyone else in the room. It's a risk think we all can live with if it mean s we help all the mutants out there," Hank said looking completely serious. _

_Charles raised his eyebrow and smiled, "Let's do this."_

_Hank nodded and left the room closing the door. Charles relaxed his mind at let Cerebro do its magic. _

"He's taking a nap?" Logan asked incredulously.

"Yes he is, so leave him alone," Jean said standing in front of the door to Charles' room.

"I really need to talk to him," Logan said in rough tone.

Jean crossed his arms over her chest and stood her ground.

"Let him in Jean," the Professor's voice came from behind the door. Charles had known they were standing out there. He could feel their presence. He could also feel Logan seemed urgent.

Jean frowned, but stood aside. Logan gave her a crooked smile and entered Charles' room. Charles was still lying in his bed, but he was sitting up more.

"Comfy?" Logan asked mockingly.

"As a matter of fact yes," Charles replied smirking. He could beat Logan at his own game, which frustrated the other man to no end.

"You can sit," Charles said motioning to the bed. Logan looked at the spot then back at the professor. Logan decided to take the offer. "I can feel something is bothering you, my boy. What is wrong?" Charles continued, folding his hands on his lap.

"I think I remember part of your past," Logan said, his tough features actually softening.

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><p>AN: REVIEWS PLEASE!


	6. Chapter 6: Logan's Memory

A/N: Reviews would be really nice... :(

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><p>Chapter 6: Logan's Memory<p>

"_If a new species is being discovers, then they should be discovered by their own kind… Charles and I will find them." Erik _

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><p>"Do you mind?" Charles asked tapping his temple.<p>

Logan shook his head. Charles closed his eyes and focused in on the memory Logan referred to.

The bedroom dissolved away and was replaced with a snowy scene…

_The snow was falling steadily now. Logan shook the flurries from his hair and glared at the stone building in front of him. He had reached the place he had wanted to be, nothing was there to hold him back any more. _

_He stalked up to the iron gate and slashed the lock with his claws, a sickening clang._

_He ran into the snowy courtyard, taking down any guard in his path. There was such anger in his movements. _

_He came to a bolted door and stopped, seeming to be thinking about the easiest way to get in. Logan slashed against the metal and smirked as his claws cut through it easily. _

_He stormed down the hall till he was stopped by a group of guards standing in front of a row of iron bar cells. Logan growled and began tearing away at these guards. He stabbed the final one in his sight before glancing up at the cages._

_There was a girl who looked about 20 years old. She had auburn hair and bright blue eyes. Around her were a few children, who were shaking as they clung to her legs. She pushed them off and rushed over to the bars._

"_You! Help us, please!" she said hurriedly. He had an accent he noticed. Logan turned away and started stalking off for the next door. He was not here to save anyone. He was here for pure revenge. _

_Logan heard a gasping noise behind him and saw a guard that had not been killed being choked by a strip of what looked like water about his neck. There was a sickening snap, signaling that the guard was now dead. The auburn haired girl stood with her hand out, the water returning to her finger tips. _

"_Now, you owe us," she said breathing heavily. Logan growled, turning back around._

"_Please!" She begged. "They are just children; don't you understand? Children," she said, the last part coming out in a whisper._

_Logan groaned, "I'll be back, but be ready to leave as soon as I get here," he growled. _

_The girl shook her head and turned back to the children. _

_Logan stormed off and continued on his rampage. It was not long before the screams of the guards filled the air. The girl waited patiently and kept the children close to her._

_Logan came storming back out, his shirt torn and a wild look in his eyes._

"_Stand back," he growled. The girl pulled the children back against the opposite wall. Logan slashed through the bars with no effort. The children looked on in amazement._

"_Come on!" he yelled. The girl snapped out of her trance and ushered the children forward out through the wreckage. Logan led them to his truck that sat a mile away from the building's entrance. _

"_Get in," he said opening the back of the RV. The kids piled in, with oldest girl taking to the front seat. _

_Logan started up the RV and gunned it down the path. The girl sat in silence as they drove on._

"_How old are, kid?" Logan asked lighting a cigar. _

"_Well, first of all, I'm not a kid. I'm 22 years old," she answered._

_Logan rolled his eyes, "Okay, where did you get that accent?"_

"_England, where I'm from," she said._

"_England, eh? What are you doing in Canada then?"_

"_I ran. You're not exactly accepted when your mutant," she said quietly._

_There was another pause of silence. She glanced back into the RV and saw the children curled up sleeping. _

"_What's your name?" Logan asked._

"_Wouldn't you like to know?" she said smirking at him._

"_Fine, fine," Logan said throwing up his hand in defense. _

"_Where are you taking us?" the girl asked._

"_Some where all of you will be safe," he grumbled. "I can't go in with you, but it's a good place. It's new and just for mutants."_

"_That's nice," she replied._

"_As a matter of fact, here is the front gate," Logan said nodding towards the gate in front of the RV. _

"_You want us to walk in the snow?" she asked incredulously._

"_Yep, this is your stop, get out," Logan said. The girl rolled her eyes and turned to the children again._

"_Come on guys. It's time to wake up," she called out. The kids rubbed their eyes and started standing up. The girl unbuckled and got out of the RV to open the back door.  
><em>

_She herded the kids out into the snow and picked the smallest one._

"_Thank you," she called into the open window._

"_No problem," Logan mumbled._

_He started the RV back up and set it in reverse. _

"_Hey, my name is Emily," she said, shifting the kid in her arms._

"_Logan," he replied._

Charles shook his head slightly.

"You brought them here?" he asked slowly.

"Yes, I did. I didn't even remember until I saw your memory," Logan replied quietly.

Charles swallowed, "Well, that's enough for today. I need to be alone."

Logan stood up and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Professor," He mumbled and left the room.

Charles closed his eyes. All he wanted was sleep now; just sleep.


	7. Chapter 7: Only in Dreams

Chapter 7: Only in dreams

"_Still unwilling to make sacrifices. That's what makes you weak,"- Erik to Charles (X1)_

She only appeared in dreams.

It was the easiest way he could manage the memory of her. Every thought about her made his heart ache; his mind ache.

It was here in dreams that Charles could touch her again. The dreams were more of memories, however. Each vivid detail etched permanently into his brain.

Charles didn't fight the feelings anymore. They brought him peace in a world that most certainly lacked some.

_Charles couldn't sleep tonight for some reason. He just had a feeling that something was coming; he wasn't sure what, but it was something. _

_The snow had come down hard this evening, blanketing the grounds in a fluffy white cover. Havoc and Banshee had had a snowball fight earlier, only for it to end with Hank having a mouth full of snow. Charles laughed at image of Hank storming back into the house, mumbling under his breath about the incompetence of teenagers. _

_Charles settled himself in front of the bay window in the great room, flicking on a lamp for a bit of light. He picked up his book from the pocket Hank had fashioned on the side of his wheelchair and began to relax. _

_Charles couldn't help but hear Raven's voice echo in his mind._

"I'm sleepy, tell me a story," she whined, plopping down on the couch next to him. She nuzzled her way into his arm and closed her eyes.

Charles looked down at his blue friend and sighed. "I can't, I have my presentation tomorrow and I need to finish my thesis," he explained holding up a notebook into the light in order to read it more clearly.

"Well read me that. Your thesis always sends me straight off," she replied.

_Charles chuckled at the memory. Raven did always have a way of lightening the most serious moments. He had read her his thesis that night and as predicted, she fell asleep quite quickly. _

_He missed the girl he had called sister. It was odd not seeing her. But he had let her go. Charles knew in his heart Raven would be happier with Erik, and based off of the visit in the hospital weeks ago, she was. _

_Charles' thought process was interrupted. He heard a knock at the door and thought, "Who in their right mind would be out in this weather?"_

_He wheeled himself over to the door as the knocking became more urgent. He opened it up to find a group of children and a woman about his age standing in the wind, shivering. Charles didn't think twice. _

"_Come in, come in," he said hurrying them in and shutting the door quietly. He thought it best to avoid waking the boys. He led them into the great room and started a fire quickly. "_They have no coats, they must be freezing," _he thought as he looked over his guests._

"_Go on warm yourselves up. I am going to get some blankets," He said motioning to the now roaring fire. The woman nodded and herded the children over to the fire, where their shivering seemed to subside. _

_Charles quickly wheeled himself down the hall and into the lounge. He grabbed as many blankets as he could manage, before wheeling himself back down to the great room. _

"_Here, there should be plenty for everyone," he said quietly. He was trying to stay calm and evaluate the situation, but the logical common sense part of his brain wasn't participating. His mind was in frenzy with questions for these new comers. He did a quick head count and noted there were five children and one woman. _

_He backed away after the woman finished handing out the blankets. He knew she could handle the situation now. He slowly inched out of the circle of children, not wanting to intervene, however, the smallest little girl had other plans in mind. _

_She looked to be about four or five years old. She had long brunette hair and was still shivering a bit. Charles leaned in towards her and offered her a friendly smile. _

"_Dear, why don't you go warm up with the others?" he suggested in a warm tone. _

_The girl looked over at the others nervously and then turned back to Charles. She shook her head slowly and pulled the blanket around her tighter. Charles looked up to see where the woman was but found her occupied. This is when he noticed that the little girl in front of him was the only one out of the children. _

"_Um, do you want to sit?" Charles asked nervously. He didn't know how to handle children. He was an only child; therefore he had no experience at this. _

_What the girl did next took Charles completely by surprise. She came up to him and crawled up onto his lap and curled up. She nuzzled her head against his chest and pulled a corner of the blanket into her mouth. _

_Charles froze. He had absolutely no clue what to do. He noticed that her hands were like little ice chunks and she was breathing pretty rapidly. It was almost as if she was afraid. His questions were answered when the woman stopped what she was doing for a minute and turned to Charles._

"_Comfort her, she likes to be held," she instructed. Charles noted that the woman had an English accent, which caught his attention. The little girl burrowed her face further into Charles' chest redirecting his attention back to her. _

_Charles cautiously wrapped his arms as best as he could around the girl and held her. Her shivering became less frequent, but her breathing still hadn't slowed. _

"_Talk to her as well." The woman said, her attention now back on the boys. _

"_Shhh, you're safe now. You're okay," Charles whispered rubbing the girl's back gently. He remembered the maid doing that to himself once when he was sick. It was a very calming gesture. He continued his soft words while rubbing circles in the girl's back for quite some time. _

_Charles lost track of the world around him. All he was thinking about was the little girl. _

"_She's quite cuddly, isn't she?" the woman said snapping Charles back into reality. _

"_Yes quite," he replied brushing the girl's hair out of her face. She was asleep now, as were the boys. _

"_I'll take her from you now. I've got a little cot set up for her," the woman whispered reaching out to grab the girl. Part of Charles wanted to keep the little girl in his lap now, but another said that she would probably be more comfortable in the cot. He reluctantly handed the girl over and watched the woman lay her down and tuck her in. _

_The woman now took retreat to one of the chairs by the bay window and sighed as she slumped down into one. _

"_Thank you, by the way," she said. "I was beginning to think that coming here was just a big fake."_

"_Your welcome, I'm Charles Xavier," Charles said extending a hand._

"_I'm Emily. It's nice to meet you Charles," she said, shaking his hand. _

"_It's nice to meet you too, Emily," Charles said smiling brightly. "How am I going to explain this one?" he thought. It was officially a new beginning. _


	8. Chapter 8: Hank Vs Pancakes

A/N: Fluffy Chapter!

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><p>Chapter 8: Hank Vs. Pancakes<p>

"_Mutants. Since the discovery of their existence they have been regarded with fear, suspicion, often hatred. Across the planet, debate rages. Are mutants the next link in the evolutionary chain or simply a new species of humanity fighting for their share of the world? Either way it is a historical fact: Sharing the world has never been humanity's defining attribute."__ - Charles Xavier (X2)_

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><p><em>Charles watched Emily sit down in the armchair opposite of his wheelchair. She pulled her legs up to her chest and looked out the window.<em>

"_Um, I do have one question," Charles said softly, making sure not to disturb the children._

_Emily turned back to face him, "Ok."_

"_How on Earth did you get here, especially in this snow?" he asked._

_Emily frowned slightly, "A man rescued us and brought us to the gate saying we would be safe here. I personally didn't want to argue with the guy who had claws, so I agreed to go. Besides, I knew where ever he was going to take us would be a step up from the hell hole we were in," she replied._

"_Claws, you say?" Charles asked leaning forward on his hands._

"_Yeah, they seemed to come out of his hands; some type of metal I think, very strong," she said turning back to look out the window. _

_Charles raised an eyebrow in thought. _

"_That was two questions by the way," Emily said in a small voice. _

_Charles chuckled, "You are quite right."_

_There was another awkward pause. In all honesty, Charles was unsure of what to do next. It was the middle of the night, so pressing on with the conversation didn't seem the logical response. _

'_She looks exhausted,' he noted, studying her face. _

"_Well, I should probably let you rest. From what I can tell, it has been a long day for you," Charles said breaking the silence. He let his mind wander into her thoughts for the moment to get a read on whether this was the right action to take. _

"_I can feel you, you know?" Emily said still looking out the window. _

_Charles was taken back, "What?"_

"_You're a telepath. I can feel your presence in my head," she continued. She then turned to look at the stunned professor and smiled at his reaction. "I'm one too," she said softly. _

_Charles' expression softened, "Well, isn't that just wonderful," he said in an excited tone. _

_Emily replied with a small laugh._

_Charles began to wheel his way out of the room, but paused in the entry way. _

"_To answer that thought on if there are others, as in mutants, here in the house; yes there are. Don't worry about them, I'll take care of it," he said smiling. _

_Emily nodded and stood up. She walked over to the couch and stood by it for a moment. She turned back to Charles, wearing an interesting expression in his opinion. It was one that he couldn't read really, which was strange. _

'_Good night Charles,' Emily said nodding. _

_It took Charles a moment to realize that she actually hadn't said anything out loud. She had spoken to him in his head. _

_He smiled back, 'Good night, Emily,' and then he continued off, leaving them to sleep._

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><p><em>The next morning, Charles was awoken by knocking at his bedroom door. He waited a moment, hoping who ever it was would leave. But they didn't; the knocking became more urgent and most definitely louder. <em>

_Charles grumbled, "Yes?" he called out._

_Alex and Sean burst into the room, looking mildly confused._

"_Dude, there's a chick and some little dudes in the house," Sean said plopping down on the bed. _

_Charles winced, his back still wasn't in the best of shape, "Easy there," he hissed. "And don't call me dude."_

"_Right, sorry Professor," Sean apologized. _

"_But seriously, when did they get here?" Alex asked, leaning against the bed post._

"_Last night, couldn't this have waited until breakfast?" Charles moaned, rolling over to look at the clock. "It's only 6:30."_

"_Uh, no it couldn't have," came Hank's voice from outside the door. _

"_Hank?" Charles called out._

"_Yeah, Professor, I have a problem," Hank replied coming into sight._

'_Oh God, they've killed one of them,' Charles thought in a moment of panic._

_Hank walked into the room, but appeared to be dragging his leg. Charles sat up a bit more, his panic level increasing. Hank continued over to the side of the bed and came further into view. _

_Charles' heart rate slowed significantly when he saw the source of the limp. _

_Attached to the bottom of Hank's leg was the little girl. She wore a huge grin and didn't appear to be considering letting go anytime soon. _

"_She kind of just clung on," Hank said nervously, pointing to the girl._

_Alex snorted, "It's because you are sooooo cute and cuddly, Beast."_

_Hank rolled his eyes and looked at Charles for help._

_Charles laughed and shifted himself to where the little girl could see him._

"_I'll take care of it," He said, leaning over slightly to speak to the girl. "Well, Good Morning, sweet heart. Why don't you let go of Hank's leg and come sit up here with me till Emily wakes up?" he suggested offering her a hand. _

_She looked at the hand cautiously, then up to Hank with her big brown eyes. _

_Charles decided to take a new tactic, "I'm sure if you let go, Hank will make you some pancakes for breakfast and maybe some chocolate milk," he said smiling. _

_At the sound of chocolate, the girl released her grip and took Charles' hand. He helped pull her up onto the bed where she snuggled in next to him on the edge. _

"_Well, aren't you a natural?" Hank said in a mocking tone._

"_Go make those pancakes or I'll put her back on your leg," Charles warned._

_Hank's eyes got real big before he quickly exited the room._

"_Pancakes, I'm in," Alex said following Hank._

_Sean began to follow, but looked back at the Professor. "You didn't…you know?" he asked tapping his head._

_Charles shook his head. Sean nodded and left the room._

_Charles looked down at the girl, "Emily was right, you are cuddly."_

_The little girl giggled with her thumb in her mouth and wiggled closer. _

* * *

><p><em>Hank was in a panic as he moved around the kitchen. <em>

"_I can create a machine that can locate mutants any where in the world, but I can't make stupid pancakes," he grumbled grabbing a cook book, flipping through it frantically._

"_Dude, it can't be that hard," Alex said lounging at the counter._

_Sean snorted and sat down at the table._

"_I'm a scientist not a cook!" Hank exclaimed. "Ah ha! Here we go." _

_He began to grab ingredients from the pantry and set them out on the counter. Alex laughed and turned to sit at the table, but was stopped. In front of him stood on of the little boy, however this one was wearing sunglasses.. _

"_Hank, there's more than one," he called out over his shoulder. _

"_Lovely," Hank replied, his head stuck in the book._

"_Um, hi," Alex said smiling awkwardly at the little boy._

"_Hi, I'm Scott," the boy replied offering his hand to Alex. Alex shook it and walked around him to sit down. _

"_So when did you guys get here?" Alex asked._

"_Last night, the man in the wheelchair let us in. What's for breakfast?" Scott replied, his attention turning to Hank. _

"_Pancakes, I think," Sean replied. _

"_Can I help?" Scott asked, perking up slightly._

"_Yes, Please!" Hank answered. Scott walked over to him eagerly and rolled up his sleeves. _

_Charles actually found the little girl as a good source of company. She brought a sense of happiness with her; a bubbly attitude. She was all smiles._

_She was currently rolling around on the bed just giggling. Occasionally she would bounce up and down, glance at Charles then continue to play. The behavior brought a smile to his face._

"_C'mere you," he said reaching out to her. She happily crawled back to him, looking in his direction. _

"_So do you have a name?" he asked_

"_Iwis," she replied with her fingers in her mouth. _

"_Dear, I can't understand you with your hand in you mouth," Charles gently pulled her hand away. "Now that's better. Say your name again," he said sweetly. _

_The girl swallowed and looked down at her hand, and then back to Charles, "Iris," she said slowly taking time to pronounce the letters. _

"_Iris? That is quite beautiful name," he said smiling. _

_She blushed and giggled looking away. _

"_Iris? Where are you?" Emily called out._

_Iris turned around and looked at the door. She glanced back at Charles as if she was debating whether to leave him or not. _

"_Go on," he said solving her dilemma. Iris hopped off the bed and ran out the door. _

_Charles sighed, contemplating on whether to get up or not himself. However, his own dilemma was solved by Iris coming back, but having Emily in tow this time. _

"_Iris, he's still in bed," Emily said her cheeks reddening. _

"_No, Emmy, it's okay," Iris replied pulling her over to the bed. _

_Charles chuckled, "She's right, it's okay. My room seems to be the meeting room this morning."_

_Emily didn't reply, but watched Iris crawl her way back on to the bed. She sat herself down next to Charles and patted the empty spot on her other side. _

"_Iris, I'm not sure Charles wants everyone on his bed," Emily said glancing at Charles._

"_No, go on," he said motioning to the spot. "I'm not going to run away. I can't really."_

_Emily laughed a little, and then walked over to the other side shuffling her steps as she went. She too crawled up in the bed on top of the covers and scooted next to Iris. _

_Iris giggled and plopped back against the pillows._

"_She is most certainly entertaining and good morning," Charles said turning to face Emily._

_Emily tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Good morning to you too. I have never seen her this happy," Emily replied. _

"_Well, that's good," Charles said smiling. _

"_Hey, Professor, Hank finished…I think," Sean said casually strolling into the bedroom, then growing red as he took in the scene. "Ok, awkward."_

_Charles and Emily grew extremely red as they glanced at each other then back to Sean. Iris giggled even more and rocked back and forth. _

"_Sean, no… it's not what it looks like…" Charles stuttered. _

"_It's cool, it's cool," Sean said throwing up his hands and walking back out. _

"_Sorry about that," Charles mumbled. _

"_It's fine, come on Iris," Emily said sliding off the bed, offering her hand to Iris. The girl took her hand and bounded out the door. _

"_Um, can we talk later?" Emily asked pausing in the door._

"_Of course,"_

_Emily nodded and left the room. _

_Charles sighed and glanced at the wheelchair next to the bed. He threw off the covers and pulled the chair flush against the bed. He pulled the top of his pants legs up to shift his legs off the side of the bed. _

_He then stared at the chair, wishing he didn't need it. Charles felt a slight twinge in his lower back as he slid off the bed and into the chair. He was lucky the bed was not a high one so the distance was too far. _

_Once his legs were situated, he began to wheel himself out of the room and down the hall to the source of the delicious smell that had begun to waft throughout the house._

"_Smells great Hank," Charles said wheeling himself over to the table. He was glad that the table was pretty big and could accommodate the new members of the house. _

"_Well, I tried," Hank mumbled setting a plate with a mountain of pancakes down on the table. Little Scott was not far behind with the tray of butter and the container. _

"_Good Morning Professor!" Scott said brightly, then turned back to helping Hank with the second batch. _

"_Well, good morning. Emily I do believe some introductions are going to be needed this morning. Where are the other children?" he asked looking around._

"_Probably still sleeping, I'll go get them up," she replied walking off down the hall, leaving Iris at the table. The girl smiled brightly and pulled her plate up next to Charles's and looked up at him. _

"_Ok big girl, how many pancakes would you like?" he asked her cheerfully. _

"_Ummmm, two," she replied kneeling in the chair in order to look at the food. Charles reached across the table to the plate and forked two of the smaller looking pancakes onto Iris's. _

"_Now, what do we say when some on gives you something?" Charles questioned the girl. _

_Iris brightened up even more, "You say 'Thank You'!" she exclaimed. "Thank you, Chawles!"_

_She picked up her fork and began tearing away at the pancakes. Charles chuckled and then took a sip of his coffee Alex had brought him a moment ago. _

"_Are you sure you don't have kids?" Sean asked after he swallowed his mouthful of food. _

_Charles laughed, "No, I have absolutely no children."_

_Iris stopped eating and glared at Charles, "Then what am I?" she said in a sassy tone that was beyond adorable. _

_Alex snorted while Sean tried not to choke on his orange juice. _

"_I'm sorry Iris, I apparently have one now," Charles said nervously turning back to the boys. _

"_She likes to be with people who make her feel safe. Obviously, you make her feel safe. Iris only did that with me, well, up until now," Emily said sitting down next to Iris. Two other young boys followed in behind her and sat down rubbing their eyes. _

"_Eat up, boys," she said nodding to the pancakes. _

_Charles ate his breakfast relatively slowly as he watched the children's actions. He was studying their behavior._

_Once the boys finished eating, he took the opportunity to get in a word before they all dashed off. _

"_We are going to get to know our new residents today, so no running off to the lab or running around the grounds. It's going to be a bonding day, kind of." Charles announced nervously._

"_Bonding?" Hank replied looking at Iris, who giggled in response. "Oh joy."_


	9. Chapter 9: Getting to Know You

_A/N: More fluffiness_

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><p><em>Chapter 9: Getting to Know You<em>

"_Mankind is not evil, just … uninformed," –Charles Xavier_

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><p><em>Charles smiled to himself once he was alone in his room again. Breakfast had gone great. The children seemed to be more relaxed than what they had been last night, which was good.<em>

_That is what he wanted to build the school off of; safety. _

_If he could make the mutants feel safe, give them a place to call home, and then he would succeed. The school would be a safe haven for runaways, orphans, and disowned children of all ages. _

_The thought of the school up and running made him smile even bigger. _

_However, the current task Charles had to face was getting dressed. He hadn't realized that he was still in his pyjamas at breakfast until Emily had pointed it, resulting in Charles blushing._

_It was okay to be in his pyjamas around Hank, Sean and Alex, but with Emily and the kids now here, it felt awkward._

_He rolled over to his dresser and pulled out an undershirt and set in on his lap. He continued over to the closet and pulled down a light blue collared button up shirt, a pair of khaki pants, and his dark blue waist coat. The challenge would be getting the pants on by himself._

_In the hospital, Charles had had a nurse to perform the task for him. In the first few weeks home, Hank had helped out. But now, he was on his own. _

_Charles knew he could do it; it was a battle of mind over matter. He knew he could, but his legs and back would always protest. _

_He pulled off his shirt and slipped on the clean undershirt. Luckily the pants he wore were just held on by an elastic band. He held himself up off the chair with one hand and pulled the pants down with the other. His arm shook as he tried to steady himself. _

'_I may have to start lifting weights' he thought as he eased himself back down. _

_He pulled the pants he had set down on the bed towards him and sighed. Charles bent down putting one leg in each hole and gently pulling the fabric up his calves. It was strange; he knew what the action was supposed to feel like, yet there was no feeling. He did this sort of hopping motion in his chair to get the pants up all the way and then relaxed. _

_The shirt and waist coat were the easy parts. _

_Once fully dressed he ran his hands through his ruffled hair and took a deep breath as he headed out into the hall. _

_Two doors down from his own, he paused. He glanced into the room to his right and closed his eyes. He hadn't brought himself to go in there yet, afraid of feeling any remaining presence of Raven. Charles missed his sister terribly._

_He pulled the door closed and continued down the hall. Going in there would be a task for another day. _

_Emily stood in the entry hall. She was just standing there, taking in the sights around her. The mansion was huge, most definitely a change from the cell that she had in habited for two years. _

"_Its stunning isn't it?" Charles asked wheeling over to her. _

_Emily broke her stare and looked down at him. "Yes it is," she replied._

"_You wouldn't believe how many hiding spots there are through out this place. I'm pretty sure I found them all when I was little," he chuckled. _

"_You lived here?" she asked, her jaw dropping._

"_Yes, I did. Come on, I'll show the grounds," he said motioning for her to follow. _

_He wheel himself out the door and down the walk way. The two walked around the gardens for quite sometime, neither saying a word. Charles was the first to break the silence._

"_So how old are the children?" he asked, attempting to make conversation. _

_Emily walked over to the stone fence and leaned up against it, facing Charles. _

"_Well, Scott is the oldest. He's about 12. Christopher is next, he's 10. Hudson and George are both 9. And little Iris is only 4," She replied. _

'_They are so young. It's incredible they are all expressing their abilities. They are aren't they?" Charles continued. _

_Emily sighed, "Yes they all have their abilities. That's why the government took them; to experiment on them," she said the last bit with disgust. "They are just children."_

"_It will be okay now. All of you are safe here," Charles reassured her taking her hand in his. Emily gave in a small smile._

"_You should see what they can do. It blows me away every time," She breathed. Charles smiled looking into her eyes. He could actually read her expression this time. _

_She appeared much more relaxed, which made him happy. He broke the gaze and dropped her hand that he realized he was still holding. _

"_Well, let's go see what they can do," He said brightly. _

_Emily brightened up too and followed him back towards the house. _

_They found the children as well as Hank and the other two boys in the living room. _

"_Well, hello," Charles greeted them wheeling in next to the chair that Hank sat in. _

"_Kids, the Professor would like to see what you can do. Do you think you could show him for me?" Emily asked sitting down on the floor crossed legged next to Charles. _

_Iris nodded vigorously and popped up from her spot on the floor. She looked around the room and smiled when she spotted a small potted plant. She squinted her eyes and lifted her hand up in the direction of the plant. Slowly, a vine crept out of the pot and crawled across the floor. It wound around the wheel of Charles's chair and crept up the metal frame. _

_Charles laughed in delight, "That's extraordinary, Iris!"_

_Iris opened her eyes and let the vine go. She smiled brightly at Charles and plopped back down, seeming very proud of herself. Hank's mouth hung open in shock._

"_She's, what only 5 years old?" he exclaimed. Emily laughed at the comment, "Four years old actually."_

_Hank's eyes grew big, which caused Emily to laugh more. Charles smiled._

_Her laugh was like music; soft and sweet. Even though he hadn't heard it very much, he enjoyed the sound. _

"_Scott, you can just explain yours. We will show them later." Emily said turning to the boy with the sunglasses. _

_Scott was a lanky boy with dark brown shaggy hair. He hard pale skin and had a coupled of freckles dotting his nose. The thing Charles noticed the most was the constant smile the boy kept on his face. He seemed so positive. _

"_I can shoot beams with my eyes. I haven't exactly gotten the hang of controlling it yet, so these come in handy," Scott said tapping his sunglasses. _

"_No need to worry about that, my boy, we will teach you," Charles said smiling in his direction. _

"_Okay, Christopher, your turn," Emily said nodding to him. _

_Christopher was also lanky, but had dirty blonde hair and bluish-grey eyes. He seemed more cautious than Scott. Charles sensed his reluctance. The boy stood up and shook his shoulders. If Charles had blinked, he would have missed the sight before him. _

_Christopher was no longer standing in front you him; instead there was a small lion cub. The cub walked over to Emily and nuzzled her knee. She scratched behind his ears and chuckled, "Adorable, isn't he?" she said looking at Charles._

"_That is totally awesome!" Sean said. _

_Christopher transformed back into human form and smiled. "I can do other animals too, not just lions," he said sitting back down. _

"_George," Emily said nodding to one of the smaller boys. _

_George had blonde hair and was short and skinny for his age. He was very shy and calm. _

_He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _

_Charles heard the soft sound of a piano playing in his mind. His body began to relax and for what he could tell, the same was happening to the others. _

"_That's enough, George," Emily whispered, her eyes closed. _

_Charles sighed, "That was amazing."_

"_He can manipulate music to control emotions. It's quite unique," Emily said quietly. _

_Alex had actually fallen asleep. Sean nudged him in the ribs, waking him up. _

"_Okay, Hudson, your turn," Emily said clearing her throat. _

_Hudson was extremely shy. He had brown hair and brown eyes and was tall for his age. _

"_I don't know what to do," he said in a small voice._

"_Do anything, it's ok," Emily encouraged. _

_Hudson walked quietly over to Charles and touched his leg with one finger. _

_Charles gasped. Suddenly, he felt some sensation where the boy was touching him. The sensation spread slowly. _

"_I can heal other people," Hudson said softly, looking up at Charles._

_Charles lifted Hudson's hand off his leg and smiled. He felt the sensation recede, but it didn't bother him too much. _

"_You don't need to heal me," Charles said. _

_Hudson walked back over and sat down. Charles sighed, folding his hands on his lap. _

"_Perhaps Alex, Sean, and Hank can take the kids outside to play. It's such a beautiful day." Charles suggested. Hank looked worried. _

'_I want to talk to Emily privately,' Charles said in Hank's mind. Hank nodded and got up._

"_Come on kids," he said nervously. The children got up and followed the blue man out of the room, each looking excited. _

"_Alex, make sure they don't hurt Hank," Charles said as Alex passed by. _

_Alex snorted, "Sure thing Professor."_

_Charles turned to Emily, his face slightly more serious. "Come with me," he said, beginning to roll out of the room. _

_Charles took Emily back down the hall and into his study._

"_You said you wanted to talk to me so, I thought this would be a good time," Charles said wheeling himself to where he was facing the other chair. Emily sat down and got comfortable. _

_It was for Charles to see some one sitting in that chair. Its last occupant had been Erik. _

'_**You realize, Charles, after tomorrow, the world will know mutants exist,' Erik said taking a sip of his martini. **_

_**Charles leaned forward on his arms and looked at his friend questioningly. **_

'_**They won't see any difference between us and Shaw in their eyes,' Erik continued as he moved his chess piece. **_

'_**Not if we stop a war,' Charles said countering Erik's move.**_

'_**Are you truly naïve enough not to see this, or just too ignorant?' Erik said.**_

'_**What?' Charles asked offended.**_

'_**You said it yourself that there is an evolution taking place. Do you think the humans won't fight their own extinction?' Erik pressed.**_

'_**No, no,' Charles interrupted, his frustration showing. 'Some one has to stop Shaw.'**_

'_**I'm not going to stop Shaw; I'm going to kill him. Do you have it in you, Charles, to let me do that?' Erik asked.**_

'_**Listen very carefully to me my friend; killing Shaw will not bring you peace,' Charles answered calmly.**_

'_**Peace was never an option,' Erik replied taking a sip of his drink once more. **_

"_Charles? Are you alright?" Emily asked breaking Charles's memory. _

_Charles shook his head and smiled, "I'm fine."_

_Emily raised an eyebrow, "If you say so."_

"_Anyways… What did you want to talk about?" Charles asked changing the subject. _

"_I'm assuming you want to know about me," Emily said quietly._

"_Only if you want to tell me," Charles replied. _

"_I do. I trust you for some reason," She explained. _

"_I'm glad," he said smiling softly at her. _

"_This will be much easier if you just look in my memories. Its hard for me to talk about," she said leaning forward. _

_Charles wheeled closer and placed his hands on either side of Emily's head, letting his fingertips touch her temple. The two closed their eyes and let the memories take over._

_Charles found himself in a cell. In the corner sat a girl that he recognized as Emily. _

_She was thin and battered; her face was littered with scraps and bruises. Her auburn hair was pulled back into an extremely tangled pony tail. She had her knees pulled up to her chest and was looking away from the door. _

_Charles turned when he heard the cell door creak open. A cruel looking man walked in wearing a demented smile. _

"_So are you going to participate today?" he asked in a smooth tone. Emily didn't look up._

_The man walked over to her and knelt down before her. He grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. "You are aren't you?" He breathed. Emily jerked her head away from the man's grasp and growled. _

"_Pity," he said in a mock sad tone. He motioned to the door where two guards stood waiting. They came in as well. _

"_Bring her," the man snapped and brushed past them as he exited the cell. The two guards roughly grabbed Emily by the arms and yanked her up._

_Emily hissed in pain as she was dragged out. _

'_This is what I knew as home for two years,' Emily's voice echoes through Charles's mind. Charles pulled out of the memory and let go of Emily's head._

_He leaned back in his chair, thinking about what he saw._

"_You spent two years in there?" Charles asked incredulously._

"_Yes, brings a whole new definition to 'living hell'," Emily scoffed. _

"_You don't have to show me anymore. Your past is not important here. I only care that all of you are safe now; that's what matters." Charles replied in a low voice. _

_Emily sat looking at Charles for awhile._

_Charles swallowed; he had a feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. It was a mix between nervousness and something else that he couldn't place. _

"_Thank you for letting us in," Emily said quietly. _

"_No problem," Charles choked out._

_Emily laughed at his nervousness. She stood up and began heading for the door. _

"_Charles," she said stopping at the door, turning back to look at him. _

_Charles blinked furiously, "Um, Yes?"_

"_Stop looking at my arse," she mocked, smiling at him._

_Charles flushed and looked away. Emily chuckled and continued out the door. _

"_Emily," he called out. She stopped and turned back towards him._

"_Yes, Charles?"_

"_Stay out of my head," he warned, returning her devious smile. _

"_I didn't have to be in your mind to know what you were doing," she replied, closing the door quietly._

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><p><em>AN: REVIEW!_


	10. Chapter 10: Nightmares

_A/N: awesome day for me soooooooo I decided to post another chapter. _

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><p><em>Chapter 10: Nightmares<em>

"_Don't let it control you" –Charles Xavier_

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><p><em>The night came quicker than Charles had thought. By the time he had wandered out into the kitchen again, the children had already had dinner and Hank was washing the dishes.<em>

"_I was wondering where you were," Hank said drying his hands. _

"_I was thinking," Charles replied wheeling over and grabbing a banana from the basket. _

_Hank nodded, "Well, I showed Emily some of the rooms that the kids can sleep in. I gave her the room next to yours."_

_Charles hesitated. "Don't worry it's not Raven's room," Hank said sensing Charles's apprehension._

"_Ah, thank you Hank," _

"_I'm gonna go to bed, Alex and Sean are watching a movie. Good Night, Professor," Hank said walking out of the kitchen. Charles sighed; it seemed to be much later than he thought. _

_He finished his banana and followed Hank's lead. He hadn't done much today, but he was exhausted._

_He headed to his bedroom and smiled; in the middle of his bed sat little Iris in a t-shirt that appeared to be Alex's. She rubbed her eyes sleepily and smiled at Charles._

"_Its night-night time, Chawles," She said patting the bed. _

_Charles wheeled himself next to the bed and picked up his night pants. _

"_Well, let me go change into my pyjamas and I'll be right back," Charles said turning towards the bathroom. Iris wiggled further under the covers and waited patiently._

_Charles found that he changed quite quickly this night. _

"_I told you I would be right back," Charles said scooting next to the bed. Iris yanked the covers back on Charles's spot. He smiled at her and hoisted himself out of the chair onto the bed. _

_The sheets were cold, yet comforting. Iris pulled the covers back up over Charles's legs and tucked him in._

"_There! All set," she said returning to her original spot. Charles chuckled and began to settle down into the bed. He closed his eyes and felt Iris scoot closer. _

_She nuzzled Charles's shoulder and pulled his arm around her. Charles opened his eyes and looked down at the little girl in his arms. She had her eyes closed and a smile plastered on her face. _

"_Good Night, Iris," Charles whispered, pulling the covers up around her shoulder. _

"_Night, night, Chawles," Iris replied before sleep over took her. _

_Charles laid his head gently on top of Iris's and let the sleep take him as well. _

_Charles's eyes flew open. Iris was no longer next to him. He rolled over and looked at the clock. It was 2:30 am._

_He sighed and closed his eyes once again. He heard a strange smacking noise and opened his eyes. He glanced over in the direction of the noise and saw that Iris was indeed still with him. _

_She had the covers balled up in her tiny fist; a smile on her perfect face. She looked so peaceful._

_There was a pang in Charles's chest. He didn't understand why he felt so distressed while looking at Iris. The feeling grew stronger and his head began to throb. _

_Charles rubbed his temples and sat up. He pulled the covers off and slid himself into the wheelchair. 'Maybe I should have eaten some dinner,' he thought as he quietly wheeled out of the room, shutting the door behind him softly. _

_As he started down the hall, he paused at Emily's door. He heard a whimper from behind the door causing him to hesitate further. The noise didn't stop; instead it slowly became more distressed. _

_He knocked on the door, "Emily?"_

_There was no reply. Charles felt a searing pain rip through his brain causing him to gasp. Something was not right in that room. _

_Charles regained his composure quickly and entered the room. Emily was tossing and turning, the sheets clenched tightly in her hands._

_Charles wheeled himself over to her bedside and reached out towards her, touching her arm. She jerked away groaning as if she were in intense pain. Charles began to panic. Emily had rolled over to the other side of the bed, her body tensing up, her whimpers becoming more panicked. He hoisted himself up onto the bed quickly and reached over towards Emily. _

_He wrapped his arms around her holding her still, despite her struggling against the embrace. _

"_Emily! Emily! Come on, dear, wake up," Charles said calmingly. _

_Sudden she stopped moving and gasped, her eyes shot open. She looked up at Charles and took in a few shaky breaths. _

"_Shhh, you're okay. I've got you," Charles whispered petting her head. Emily began to sob._

_She buried herself into his arms and cried. Charles held her close and rocked her slightly. He shifted his hips to where Emily would be more comfortable, yet he had a feeling she didn't exactly care at this moment. _

_The two sat that way for quite sometime. Charles noticed Emily's sobbing had stopped. He looked down at her and saw she had fallen asleep again. He smiled and laid his head back against the pillows, closing his eyes again. _

_That last thing Charles remembered thinking was, 'She smells nice.'_

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><p><em>The sun light had begun to creep in through the curtains when Charles woke up. Emily, however, was gone.<em>

_He rubbed his eyes and groaned as he pulled himself into the wheelchair. He found that Iris hadn't woken up yet when he reached his room. He smiled at her adorable sleeping form. _

_He quietly pulled out some clothes to wear and wheeled himself into the bathroom._

_Charles looked into the mirror, examining himself. He looked older for some reason. He chuckled, 'I'm guess that's not too surprising based on what has happened over the past months.'_

_He ran a hand through his hair, fingering the graying strands at his hairline. There weren't that many, but enough to bother Charles slightly. He had been joking when he had said now he would go bald to Moira. Maybe there had been some truth behind it. _

_Charles looked away and began to undress, then redress himself. Once he had resituated himself, he exited the bathroom and found Iris missing._

_He exited his room and found the smell of bacon wafting down the hall. He smiled, 'Hank is learning.'_

"_Well, Good Morning Professor!" Alex called from the table. _

_It wasn't just Alex sitting at the table. He was accompanied by Sean, Hudson, George, Christopher, Scott, and Iris._

_Iris got up out her chair and ran towards Charles. She climbed up into his lap and hugged him around the neck then slid back down. _

"_Good Morning," Charles replied, chuckling slightly. He finally spotted Emily. _

_She was shuffling around in the kitchen, helping Hank with breakfast. She brought a plate of bacon and eggs over to the table and acknowledged Charles. _

_Iris still hadn't sat back down yet. She grabbed Charles by the hand and pulled him towards the table. _

"_Looks like you've got yourself a girlfriend," Sean laughed; his mouth full of bacon. _

_Charles flushed and pulled the plate of food towards him. _

"_Aw, you've embarrassed him, Banshee," Alex said in a mocking tone._

"_Oh, be quiet and eat," Charles ordered. _

_Both boys laughed and continued to eat._

"_Banshee? I thought his name was Sean?" Scott asked. _

"_Well, it is. We will explain that part later, all right?" Charles replied. Emily sat down next to Charles and began to eat. _

_Charles raised an eyebrow when glanced at Emily. _

'_Don't,' she warned in his mind. _

'_I just wanted to see if you were alright. Nothing more,' he replied, forking eggs into his mouth. _

'_I'll explain later,' she said looking down at her plate. _

'_Alright,' he replied sensing she was done. _

"_These are great, Hank," Charles said, smiling. _

"_Well, thank Emily for that one. She made those. I did the bacon," Hank replied, nodding towards Emily._

"_Ah, well the bacon is good too. And thank you Emily," Charles said turning towards her. _

"_No problem,"_

_Breakfast was pretty quiet. Once the food had finally run out, the boy and Iris left the table. Charles offered to clear the table this time; Emily seconding the offer. Alex and Sean headed out the door closely followed by Christopher, George, Scott and Iris. Hank headed towards the lab, Hudson at his heals. _

"_Hudson seems to have taken a liking to Hank," Charles observed once it was just him and Emily. _

"_Hudson likes science. I think it has something to do with his mutation; the healing thing," Emily replied stacking up the dirty plates. _

_Charles stationed himself at the sink and took the on the job of scrubbing the plates. _

"_It's not a bad thing at all. If he is willing to learn, then he attached himself to the right person. I can tell Hank doesn't mind," Charles continued. _

_There was a moment of silence between the two. Emily stood next to him and dried the dishes. _

"_Thank you for last night," Emily said in a small voice. _

"_It's nothing. Everyone has nightmares," Charles replied._

"_Yeah, I suppose," Emily mumbled. _

_Charles frowned slightly, "How often do these nightmares occur?"_

"_Too often," she replied. _

_Charles was silent. He was thinking about what to do._

"_If you don't mind, I would like to see if I can help you. I have an idea. It worked for my sister so I believe it will work for you," Charles said._

"_What exactly do you want to do?" she asked slowly. _

_Charles chuckled, "All I'm asking is you let me sit in your room for awhile tonight. When I believe you are having a nightmare, I'll stop it. It'll train your body to stop the nightmares."_

"_So you want to sleep with me?" she asked the corners of her mouthing pulling up. _

_Charles flushed a deep red; "Well, in a very, very, very disconnected way."_

"_If you so wish, Professor," Emily smirked, putting the last of the dishes away._

_Charles hadn't even realized that she had been putting the dishes away. Emily began to walk out of the kitchen, but turned around. _

_She looked as if she were laughing to herself. "Charles?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Pants stay on," she said stated, her smirk growing._

"_If you so wish," he replied watching her leave. 'She isn't going to be good for me.'_

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><p><em>AN: Ok so the thing between charles and emily seems very sudden, but I picture charles as that person who no matter what would want to help. So him comforting Emily seemed logical. _

_Also, I would also like to say thank you for all the hits on this story. I really do appreciate it. _


	11. Chapter 11: Family?

A/N: I found out that the DVD for First Class comes out in October. My life shall go on... :)

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><p>Chapter 11: Family?<p>

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><p>"<em>You want society to accept you, but you can't even accept yourself." –Erik Lehnsherr<em>

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><p>"<em>So Sean, why are you called Banshee?" Scott asked as he jogged to keep up.<em>

"_Oh, you'll see," Sean replied smiling at the young boy. Scott smiled back and continued on. _

_The boys and Iris were heading out towards the west gardens, out by the satellite dish. _

_George and Christopher were at the back of the group talking excitingly to each other. Iris was skipping ahead of them all, her hair whipping in the light breeze. Alex laughed to himself as he watched the little girl. She was quite entertaining. _

"_Where are we going?" Christopher called out. _

"_We're here!" Sean yelled back motioning to the towering satellite dish._

"_A satellite dish? Seriously what does that have to do with the training you were talking about at breakfast?" Scott asked panting slightly. It had been a hike up to where they stood. Scott was not use to the workout. _

"_Like I said, you'll see," Sean replied grinning. He reached down into the pack he had been carrying and pulling out what appeared to be a cape. He slung it over his shoulder and began to climb up the ladder of the dish. Christopher made a move to follow, but alex put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him. _

_It seemed like ages before something actually happened. _

"_I'd cover your ears," Alex suggested to the children. _

"_Why?" Scott asked as the other three did as they were told. _

"_You wanted to know why he is called Banshee," Alex said covering his ears. Scott followed his lead._

_Alex looked up at Sean and nodded. _

_The next thing Scott knew was Sean was falling. His heart jumped up to his throat in panic. He looked at Alex, who was just smiling. Then despite his ears being covered, a piercing sound tore through the air._

_Sean was no longer falling, but flying. He glided effortlessly over the trees and turned back towards the group. He let out another deafening screech and gained more altitude. _

_Scott could tell the others were laughing in pure delight. Sean continued the routine for a few more rounds then rolled down onto the soft grass. _

_Alex jogged over to him and helped him up._

"_Your landing sucks, dude," he said slapping Sean on the back. Sean laughed. _

"_Why do you think I'm practicing?" he retorted. _

"_That was awesome!" Christopher exclaimed. "I wanna practice too!" _

_Alex laughed, "Well go on then. Show us what you got."_

_Christopher smirked and then transformed himself into a small hawk. It was obvious it was a young hawk, but still he looked fierce. He looked at Alex cawed before spreading his wings._

_He took off and rocketed into woods. _

"_Dude, that may seriously come in handy," Sean said in awe. _

_Christopher came back his wings flapping slightly. In his talons he held a tree branch. He let it go as he passed over the group; Alex reached up and caught the branch, an idea coming to mind. _

"_Hey, Christopher come back," Alex called out._

_Christopher angled his sleek body in the wind and headed towards the ground. He landed softly on Alex's outstretched arm. He chirped softly, looking at Alex._

"_I want you to get some of those branches and fly up really high then drop them. I need to practice my aim. Once you drop the branch get out of the way," Alex said._

_Christopher chirped nervously._

"_Don't worry, I wont hit you," Alex said gently. Christopher squeezed his talons around Alex's arm, clicking his beak._

"_Easy there, Talons," Alex hissed. He paused for a moment and smiled. "That's gonna be your name, Talons. Now go on, we're wasting daylight!" He said lifting his arm._

_Christopher took back off and headed back into the forest. _

"_Hey instead of you practicing, I want a shot." Scott said stepping forward. _

_Alex looked wary, but nodded. Christopher came swooping back into sight, a branch in his clutches. _

_Scott positioned himself and placed his hand on his sunglasses, ready to tip them up. _

_Christopher let go of the branch and swerved out of the way. Scott flicked up the glasses and beam shot out of his eyes incinerating the branch. _

_Alex and Sean jumped back in shock. Scott pulled the sunglasses back down and turned towards the boys. _

"_Dude!" Sean yelled. "Are you two related?" He said pointing at Scott and Alex. There was an awkward silence as Christopher landed gracefully. Alex and Scott looked away from one another; Alex pushed Sean and shoved his hands in his pocket. _

"_Come on, lets head back," Alex mumbled turning towards the house. The group trudged back; Scott hanging in the back of the pack. They found the house pretty quiet when they arrived and they didn't particular feel like breaking it either. _

_Alex strayed away from the group as Sean led them to the living room with the TV. He wandered down towards the Professor's study. He wasn't sure why he was going down there. _

_He heard laughter floating out from the door way. He paused just outside the door and listened carefully._

"_Seriously? You were in the show choir in high school?" came Charles voice. He sounded very amused._

"_You're making fun of me? Well, I guess I'm not going to tell you anymore of my personal life. You haven't even told me anything about yourself," came Emily's voice._

_This is when Alex chose to enter the room. "You'd be the first to know anything about him," Alex mumbled sitting down on the couch._

"_Ah, Alex," Charles acknowledged. "Training go well?"_

"_Yeah, um, Emily I have a question. Would Scott's last name happen to be Summers?" Alex asked running a hand through his hair._

"_Actually, yes it would. Why?" Emily replied._

"_He's my brother," Alex choked before sobbing. He coughed and then wiped his eyes vigorously. _

"_What?" Charles asked taken back by the burst of emotion. _

"_I have a brother. My brother, my parents and I were in a plane crash ages ago. Mom had strapped Scott and me to the only parachute. They died and we lived; the mutants lived!" Alex choked. "Scott was in a coma last time I saw him. That was six years ago. I thought he was dead. I got put into foster care that was it."_

"_Oh, well fate has a strange way working itself out," Charles said softly._

_Alex sniffled and got up, "I just thought you ought to know." He said before leaving the room. _

_Emily looked at Charles. "You found one, I found the other." _


	12. Chapter 12: Midnight Adventures

_A/N: Sorry for the long wait but I have been getting ready for the Harry Potter Premiere! So here you guys go_

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><p><em>Chapter 12: Midnight Adventures<em>

"_How would you like a job where you get to keep your clothes on?"__ – Charles Xavier (First Class)_

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><p><em>Dinner approached surprisingly fast that night. Sean had suggested that they order pizzas. Charles agreed that that would be the simplest solution. <em>

_Alex stayed up in his room for the night. When the pizza arrived, Sean took a few pieces up to him and ended up staying. _

_Charles, Emily, Hank, and the children sat in the living room, relaxing. Hank and Hudson were involved in a game of checkers. Christopher lazily flipped through the TV channels, while Scott flipped through a book about cars. Iris was curled up in Charles's lap, her eyes drooping slightly. _

_Emily who sat on the couch with Christopher smiled at the sight. _

"_I think it's almost bed time," Emily said. All the boys surprisingly didn't complain. They simply nodded and trudged out of the room. Iris sat up and rubbed her eyes. She gave Charles a peck on the cheek whispering, "Night, night," before climbing down and taking Emily's hand. _

"_I'll see you later," She said as Iris pulled her out of the room. _

_Hank cleared his throat causing Charles to look towards him. _

"_You like her?" He asked sipping the drink he held._

_Charles chuckled, "As on the terms of friends, yes. In the way you are talking, I'm not quite sure," he said in a coy tone. _

"_Yeah, sure," Hank snorted. _

"_Oh, Shut up," Charles mumbled._

"_So, Hudson is good kid," Hank continued. _

"_I bet so," Charles replied sipping his own drink. _

"_He's a good pair of extra hands in the lab. He seems very interested in science. You should see his healing abilities; they are absolutely amazing."_

"_Really?" Charles asked interested. _

"_I think he maybe able to help you," Hank said quietly. _

"_Hank," Charles sighed._

"_No seriously, Professor. I want to look into finding a way of healing your…condition," Hank continued._

"_Hank, the nerves in my spine are permanently damaged. I have come to accept the fact I won't walk again. Unless this boy has the ability to reattach spinal nerves and heal my spinal column, there is nothing he can do," Charles replied looking at Hank with a harden look. _

"_That's the thing. I think he can. Just let me try. Please Professor," Hank pleaded. _

_Charles recognized this tone; it was the same tone he used when he had explained the serum he had developed for Raven. The evidence of the serum's effectiveness sat in front of him, no offence to Hank; Charles was hesitant._

"_Alright, you can try," Charles sighed giving in. Hank grinned as he stood up. _

"_I promise, I can fix this," Hank replied. He left the room hurriedly. _

_Charles sighed. He was alone again. He didn't particularly like being alone these days. It left him to his thoughts. It was these times that made him miss Erik and Raven. _

_Charles knew that the others would not exactly welcome them back with open arms anytime soon. He hoped that would change eventually. _

_He wheeled himself out of the empty room and headed towards his own. He wanted to put on something a bit more comfortable before… well… tonight. _

_Once there, he found clean pair of navy blue sleep pants and a clean white undershirt. He changed quickly, smiling to himself. He was beginning to get the hang of task._

_Charles glanced at the clock and saw it was about 10:00 pm. He supposed that Emily would have all the children tucked in by now and would be waiting. For some strange reason, he was nervous. What Hank had said earlier was still ringing in the back of his mind. _

_Charles wasn't sure what he felt for the newest female resident of the house, but he knew there was something there. He shook his head; it was probably the same feeling he had for Raven. Emily could be like a sister. Not a replacement for Raven, just an addition. _

_He went to Emily's door and knocked softly. _

"_Come in," she called back._

_He turned the knob and entered. Emily was standing by the dresser, brushing out her hair. This was the first time Charles actually noticed the true characteristics of it. _

_Her hair was relatively long, coming to midway down her back. It looked very soft. The auburn color glowed in the low light. She had gentle curls that complemented her very well. _

_Emily turned around and looked at Charles. Her skin was glowing as well; her green eyes looking at him intently. She was beautiful._

"_Charles?" she said, breaking his stare. _

_Charles smiled and met her gaze. He noticed what she was wearing and chuckled. _

"_I see you found some pyjamas," he said nodding to her clothes. Emily looked down at her clothes and then back up to him._

"_Is there something wrong with this? I just found it in the drawers." She said._

"_No, there's nothing wrong with them. I laughed because they're mine. I can't believe I still have that shirt. I wore it all the time at Oxford," he replied wheeling over to the couch that was in the room. _

"_Oh, well, I can change," Emily said blushing. _

"_No, its okay, keep it," He replied hoisting himself up onto the couch. _

_Emily was quiet. As Charles moved to pull his legs up onto the sofa, he lost his balance and started to fall. In a heartbeat, Emily was next to his side pushing the wheelchair out of the way and using her body to steady Charles. He grabbed the back of the couch and pulled himself back up. _

"_I'm alright," he mumbled. _

"_Are you sure?" she asked leaning back on her heels. _

"_Yeah, I got this," Charles continued grunting slightly as he shifted his lower half. _

_Emily raised an eyebrow and wrapped her arms around his legs. She pulled them up onto the couch and smiled._

"_Emily, you didn't have to," Charles murmured._

"_Yes, I did. Don't complain," She said moving back to her own bed. _

"_Oh, really?" Charles questioned finishing situating himself. He pulled the blanket that sat on the back of the couch over his legs. _

"_It doesn't hurt to ask for help, Charles," Emily said slipping into bed. _

_He nodded and smiled, "Nice advice."_

"_So how does this work?" she asked._

"_Well, obviously you need to go to sleep. If I sense any distress, I'll interfere. I'll find the part of your memory that causes problems and set up blocks. The blocks will prevent the memories from resurfacing at, well, unwanted times," Charles explained._

"_Well, I can't sleep with you staring at me," She replied, laughing._

_Charles laughed and pulled a book out of the pocket on the side of the wheelchair. _

"_That is why I brought entertainment. I won't be watching you. I may fall asleep myself," He said simply._

"_If you're asleep, then how can you monitor me?" Emily asked._

"_I'm a light sleeper. I'll sense you," Charles assured her. _

"_Ah, okay. Well, good night then," she said rolling over to where she didn't face Charles. _

_Charles smiled and cracked open his book. _

_Time began to pass by quickly. Charles nodded off occasionally. He would look up from his book and check on Emily. She was sound asleep and seemed to be peaceful. _

_Charles closed the book and placed it on his chair, sliding down to a laying position. He rolled over on his side and closed his eyes. Surprisingly, sleep came easily. Suddenly Charles jerked awake. He sat up and looked at Emily._

_She was looking back at him, looking concerned. "Are you alright?" she asked. Light was shining in through the windows now. Charles had slept all through the night._

_She slid out of bed and walked over to him. He noticed he was breathing heavily and his heart was racing. She knelt next to him and placed her hands on either side of his face. Charles felt his mind relax slowly; he looked into her eyes with relief. _

"_Thank you," he whispered. Emily let go of his face and relaxed as well._

"_Who's Erik?" Emily asked. _

"_What?" Charles asked taken back. _

"_You were saying Erik over and over again. You sounded hurt," she said._

"_That is a story for another day," Charles sighed, pulling his legs off the couch. He ran a hand through his hair and looked back up at Emily. _

"_Is he the one that hurt you? I mean your legs," She said quietly._

_Charles was silent. He took a deep breath and said, "Yes." He cleared his throat._

"_I'm sorry I couldn't help you," Charles continued._

"_No, you did," Emily said standing up. _

"_I feel asleep," he replied slightly amused._

_Emily looked back at Charles smiling brightly. "For the first time in a long time, I slept through the entire night. Just you being here helped. I felt…I felt safe for once. I knew I had a friend in the world that actually gave a damn and who wasn't a child," Emily said laughing. _

_Charles didn't know what to say._

"_You, Charles Xavier, helped me by simply being here." Emily said smiling from ear to ear. _

_Charles couldn't help by smile back._

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><p><em>PLEASE REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!<em>


	13. Chapter 13: Getting Closer

_A/N: Harry Potter comes out tonight! So in honor of this awesome day I have decided to post a new chapter :)_

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><p><em>Chapter 13: Getting closer<em>

_The weeks following Charles and Emily's encounter seemed to fly by; the weeks turned into months._

_They got along great and the children respecting their authority well. Emily had fallen into almost the mother like roll in the school. Charles still stood as the father figure._

_He enjoyed watching the children grow into abilities. Hank had fashioned Scott a pair of glasses that helped him control his ability. _

_Christopher took to becoming more experimental with his transformations. He was taking on new and more powerful forms. Charles noticed that his forms also seemed to be gaining age. He was no longer a lion cub, but more of a teenager. Charles also noticed that Christopher was very similar to Erik. _

_It was frightening to see the similarities sometimes. Christopher held the same attitude towards humans that Erik held. He had the "Mutant and proud" persona. _

_George was still shy, but was coming out of his shell more. He would talk to Charles about the books he would read out of the library, but that was about it. He had developed a liking for chess as well. Charles and George would play at least one game a day; each counteracting the other's ability. Charles would tap into George's mind, but George would distract him with music. _

_He was becoming quite talented at keeping a calm mood through out the house by using his ability. _

_Alex took to watching out for Scott. He was careful in making sure that Scott would not notice, but he made himself available if need be._

_Sean also took on the big brother role. He adored little Iris. The two seemed to be inseparable. Iris loved to chase him around the grounds; eventually tackling him giggling uncontrollably. _

_Hudson liked to be in the labs with Hank. He was always on his coat tail looking on in awe. He was fascinated with the experiments. _

_Hank worked feverishly on the cure for the Professor's condition. Hudson did not mind the blood draws. He seemed to be glad to be helping. Charles had refused to let Hank try anything on him until he was positive that there would be success. _

_Everything was just perfect._

_Now it had been almost a year since Emily and the children had arrived. It was Christmas time._

_Charles had always loved the holiday. It had been the only time he had gotten any real attention from his mother and step-father. No one would be fighting during the season, so his mind would be at peace._

_Raven and he used to decorate a tree in the living room both usually ending up competing to see who could put the most ornaments on. _

_Charles smiled to himself as he stopped his wheel chair in the door way of the living room. He could imagine the children doing the same thing in a few days._

_It was true; the holidays were always a happy time. _

_He turned around as the front door swung open to reveal Hank and Alex pulling in a tree behind them. Charles wheeled over to them and closed the door in order to prevent the snow from coming in. _

"_I think we found the right one," Alex grunted as they stood the tree up._

"_Yeah, I don't think we could have gotten a bigger one." Hank mumbled. _

_Charles chuckled taking the size of the tree. It was rather large, but the smell was intoxicating. _

"_Hank and Alex are back!" Iris yelled as she ran down the stairs her face grinning brightly. Emily was not too far behind her. _

"_Iris, what have I told you about running down the stairs?" She asked coming to a halt in the door way. She placed her hands on her hips and looked down at the girl expectantly. _

"_Sorry, Emmy," Iris apologized before turning her attention to the tree. "Whoa," she whispered. She ran up to Hank and hugged his leg. "I like it!" she exclaimed before letting go and circling the tree. _

_She brushed the needles with her finger tips, breathing life back into the cut tree. In a matter of minutes, it looked as if the tree was freshly cut instead of the been-sitting-in-a-lot-for-weeks look. _

"_I am still not use to that," Alex said, plopping down on the sofa. _

_Charles laughed, "Now its perfect, Iris," he said motioning for her to come to him. She bounced over and crawled up into his lap. Charles wrapped his arms around the little girl and tickling her. Her laughter was like a drug; Charles couldn't get enough of it. _

"_Come on you guys, I worked had on dinner," Emily said turning to leave. _

_Alex and Hank exchanged worried looks before looking at Charles. _

"_Don't worry, I monitored her this time. No fires at all, she did just fine." Charles assured them before leaving as well with Iris still on his lap. He paused at the stair way. _

"_Boys, come on! Dinner time!" he called up. He waited for a moment before the sound of foot steps echoed down the stairs. The four boys sped past Charles._

"_Hey, hey wash up!" he called following them to the kitchen. Alex, Hank, and Sean already took their places at the table. The boys washed up and took there places. Iris crawled down and washed her hands then seated herself in her spot. _

_Charles washed his own hands before grabbing the plates of food and helping Emily. The two sat next to each other at the table. At first this seating arrangement had taken quite a bit of mockery before Charles intervened. _

_Over the past months, Emily and he had grown close. He suspected it had been because of the connection they had made the night Charles had stayed in her room, but he was being to have his doubts. It felt like there was something more between them now. _

_Dinner was actually late tonight, so everyone devoured their food quickly. Alex had a look of surprise as he ate; his face showing the shock of the fact that the food was actually good. Charles shot him a warning glance before finishing his own. _

_The kids dispersed afterwards, each going to their rooms to ready themselves for bed. _

"_I've got the dishes. Go on," Charles said. _

"_I'll see you later." She said before following Iris up the stairs. _

_Charles slowly cleared the table. He washed the plates and put them on the counter for breakfast in the morning. Once finished, he retreated to his bed room. _

_He always felt calm in his room. He glanced at the door the Hank had installed between Emily's room and his own. The door was there in case Emily had a nightmare or Charles needed help. For some reason, Charles felt more comfortable with Emily helping him than with the guys. _

_Typically the door was open, but at the moment it was closed. He figured she was changing, so he decided to do the same. Once finished, Charles went to the wooden door and knocked. _

"_Emily?"_

_The door swung open, "Sorry, I almost forgot." She said smiling at him. _

_She was wearing the same set of pyjamas that she had found the second night at the mansion. Charles thought that despite the fact the shirt was wore out and fading and that the pants were most certainly too big, she looked amazing. _

_Charles mentally smacked himself for the thought. His heart was in his throat. _

"_Well, stop staring and come on. You promised me a game of chess and I have the board set up," Emily said walking back into her room._

_Charles laughed and followed her lead. Sure enough there was a chess set set up with one armchair and enough room for Charles's wheelchair. He smiled at her as she sat down. He took his spot, "Your move, my dear."_

_Emily smiled and moved her pawn. _

_The game was entertaining for Charles. He noticed that she got very frustrated when he would block her move or take a piece. However, the frustration was not with him but with her. _

_He found it hilarious. _

"_Checkmate," he said taking her king, a goofy smile plastered on his face._

"_Fine, but I still think you are cheating," she grumbled leaning back to relax in the chair. She pulled her legs up to her chest and glared at him._

"_You would know if I was cheating," he replied smiling. _

_Her glare faded and she smiled back. _

"_You, Charles Xavier, amaze me," She said. _

_Charles laughed and glanced at the clock. "My goodness, it's past midnight."_

"_I'm not surprised." Emily said packing up the set. _

"_I guess I'll be getting to bed then," he said backing himself up. "Door open or closed?" he asked like he always did. _

"_Open," she replied smiling. "Good night Charles."_

"_Good night Emily."_

_Charles wheeled over to his bed and pulled back the covers. He hoisted himself in and got comfortable before rolling over to look towards the door. He saw the light go off in Emily's room, followed by the bed creaking. _

_He chuckled and turned his own light off, letting himself fall into a peaceful sleep._

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><p>AN: REVIEW PLEASE!


	14. Chapter 14: Return of a Friend

_A/N: Sorry for the delay. The Harry Potter midnight premiere took a lot out of me. the movie was absolutely incredible of course!_

_So I'm back now, enjoy!_

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><p><em>Chapter 14: A Return of a Friend<em>

"_Charles Xavier did more for mutants than you will ever know." – Erik Lehnsherr_

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><p><em>The next morning Charles found Emily sitting in his armchair munching on a piece of toast and reading the paper. She still wore her pyjamas and looked very comfortable. <em>

"_Well, Good Morning," Charles said pushing himself up. _

"_Morning," she replied still reading the paper._

_Charles watched her as she ate. He couldn't help but think that it was a little adorable the way she scrunched her nose in thought as she read. He slid into his chair and rolled over to her snatching the paper away. _

"_Hey! That was not very nice," Emily scolded._

"_Well, the paper is obviously more interesting than me so I decided to take the paper." Charles replied chuckling. _

_Emily chucked the crust of her toast at Charles. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest._

"_Now, that wasn't very nice," Charles said. _

"_Well, you deserved it," She replied, the corners of her mouth pulling up._

_Charles laughed and handed the now folded paper back to Emily._

"_Come on you, breakfast is ready." Emily said getting up and walking out the door._

_Charles watched her leave, a smile playing at his lips. _

"_Stop staring and come on Charles," she called stopping at the door, waiting at the door. _

_He wheeled himself out, getting a whack on the back of the head with the paper. _

"_Keep your eyes in your head," she mocked now walking beside him. _

_She had most definitely been right, breakfast was indeed ready. Hank had made mounds of toast as well as a healthy helping of eggs. He actually ate seconds this morning, which was out of character. Today, he had decided that he was going to work with Emily on training. _

_Alex and Sean had given him reports on the children. The two boys enjoyed working with the little ones, surprisingly._

_Hudson continued to stay close to Hank. Hank was almost sure that he had perfected his cure for Charles. Charles, of course, was still hesitant. _

_After the children finished eating, Emily pulled herself up to sit on the counter as Charles did the dishes. _

"_Emily, I tell the boys not to do that. I don't want the children crawling all over the counters too." Charles said in that tone that everyone knew too well. _

_Emily looked down at him and smirked, "I'm special Professor."_

_Charles chuckled, "Yes, you are but that does not exclude you from the rules."_

_He dried his hands and looked up at her. She rolled her eyes and slid down. _

"_Much better, now I don't feel like a little kid," Charles said._

"_Well, you are little." Emily replied patting him on the head before grabbing an apple and taking a bit. "So, what is your plan for me today, Professor?" she said after swallowing. _

"_We are going swimming," he explained. "So I'd go get a bathing suit. I know Raven had quite a few and I know for sure that there is one in the dresser in your room." _

"_Then I shall go change," she said smiling purposely strutting out of the room. Charles shook his head, 'Very nice,' he said in her mind. _

_Charles waited a bit before taking off towards his room. As he neared the room, he felt a strange but familiar presence. He hesitated as he entered the room. He kept a stoic look as he stared at his bed. _

_It was not empty like he had left it; instead someone lay in the middle of it. _

"_You always did eat slowly," the German man said smoothly. _

"_You could have used the front door, Erik," Charles said in a low voice, glancing at the open window. _

"_Ah, but then Alex would have tried to kill me. This way added a sense of surprise." Erik replied._

_There was knocking at the side door in the room causing Charles to look over quickly. _

"_Charles? I need your help. Are you in there?" Emily called out. _

_Charles looked at Erik and then back to the door. "Charles?"_

"_I'm here, hold on," Charles called back heading towards the door. _

"_Oh, its okay I'll just come to you," Emily said. _

"_No, Emily don't…" Charles called out panicked. _

_It was too late. She had opened the door and stood there in a pair of sweat pants with her swimsuit top pressed to her chest. _

_She looked at Charles and then to Erik. She flushed and looked back at Charles, who ran a hand through his hair. _

"_Can you tie this?" she whispered kneeling down in front of Charles and turning around. _

_He flushed as he tied the straps. His hands brushed against the skin of her back causing her to shiver. "There you go." He whispered. He patted lightly, noticing how soft her skin was._

_Emily turned around and crossed her arms on her chest. There was an incredibly awkward silence. Emily looked at Charles then at Erik then back at Charles. She raised an eyebrow and smiled._

"_Well guy on guy, kinky. I'll just leave you two alone," she said smirking. _

"_Emily, honestly…" Charles scoffed. _

_Emily now stood by the door, "Oh, don't worry it doesn't bother me. I'll be right here enjoying the entertainment," she said tapping her head as she closed the door smiling. _

_Charles blushed deeply. He couldn't believe Emily even thought him and Erik would do such things together. _

"_We don't want to disappoint her now," Erik said, breaking Charles's thoughts. Charles turned to look at him. Erik was on the edge of the bed smiling at him. _

"_Why are you here?" Charles asked._

"_You, my friend, are going to need my help soon," Erik replied raising his eyebrows. _

"_Oh really?"_

"_Yes, Raven and I recruited a few more mutants for you," Erik said standing up. He straightened his pants and cleared his throat. "So I thought you would appreciate some company when they arrive tomorrow."_

"_Tomorrow? Erik a little more warning would have been nice!" Charles exclaimed. He wheeled himself to look at Erik who stood at the door way._

"_We'll talk more about that later. I believe you would like to see your sister," Erik said motioning for Charles to follow. _

_Charles perked up at the notion of Raven being home. He missed her a great deal. Erik smiled noticing his reaction. _

"_She should be down with Hank." Erik said a bit quieter. Charles was already out the door. He of course knew where she was now that he could sense her presence. Erik hung back and watched Charles ahead of him. _

_His heart jumped up into his throat as he watched Charles wheel himself down the hall. There was still a nagging part of his brain that had himself convinced it was his fault that Charles was this way. He had crippled his best friend. _

"_Come on Erik or am I too fast for you now?" Charles called out from his place at the new elevator. Erik rolled his eyes and joined his friend. _

_Once down in the lower levels, Erik was shocked by the new additions. _

"_One of these rooms is going to be a simulation trainer, another is storage and some don't have a purpose yet. This one, however, is the new Cerebro." Charles explained as they went down the hallway. He stopped out side of the medical facilities that Hank had insisted on taking up a good portion of the area. _

_Charles hesitated. He could hear Raven's laughter from inside which was accompanied by Hank's. _

"_She doesn't bite you know," Erik whispered leaning down next to Charles. _

"_I am aware of that," Charles replied. He pressed the button that opened the door and wheeled in. _

_Almost immediately he was bombarded with Raven flinging herself into his arms. _

"_Charles," she whispered as she buried her face into his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. She was practically sitting in his lap. It took Charles a moment to realize that she was crying. He pulled her off his shoulder so he could see her. He brushed away a few tears on her blue skin._

"_Why are you crying?" he asked chuckling slightly. _

"_You're…you're in a wheel chair Charles. The last time I saw you, you were in a hospital hooked up to God knows how many machines. Now you're here," She sobbed motioning to the chair. _

_Erik's shoulders slumped slightly at her words. Charles noticed his actions and pulled the sobbing Raven against his chest like he use to when she cried. _

"_I'm okay, Raven. I'm okay," he said quietly running his hand down the back of her head. _

"_Actually, Professor," Hank interrupted. "You're going to be more than okay. I finally got it right."_

_Raven sat up when she felt Charles tense up. _

"_Got what right?" Erik asked. _

"_The cure that's going to make the Professor walk," Hudson said stepping out from behind Hank. _

_It was the first time Charles saw the boy smile. _


	15. Chapter 15: A Fairy Tale

_A/N: sorry for the slow update. I have been so busy lately painting my grandmother's house, but I'm finished now!_

_I realized while writing this chapter, Erik is hard to capture in words. _

_I have also taken a little bit of an AU route on Erik and Raven's relationship. I like the two of them together. _

_So i basically tossed the entire third movie out the window (I didn't like that one very much anyways)_

_Thanks so much to all my readers for sticking with me! Enjoy and don't forget to review!_

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><p><em>Chapter 15: A Fairy Tale<em>

_Erik was fuming as he paced back and forth. Charles had left quickly after the little boy had said something about getting a "cure" for him right. _

_Now Charles was ignoring him and Raven which was not improving Erik's mood at all. _

"_We could just go down to the pool that's where he went, Erik," Raven said from her place in the armchair._

"_Why didn't he tell us that they were even considering fixing his legs?" Erik growled. _

"_Well, we have only been here for about an hour so Charles probably was going to get there eventually," Raven replied._

_Erik growled and hit the wall with his open hand. He was shaking now._

"_He could walk again," Erik whispered. He ran his other hand that was not supporting him against the wall through his hair. He heard Raven sigh in the background. _

_Erik slid down to where he was sitting down on the floor. The shaking had slowly turned to a small sob. He furiously wiped away the tears that had escaped his eyes._

_Raven knelt down and wrapped her arm around him. _

"_See, I told you to have hope," Raven whispered placing a kiss on Erik's cheek. _

_Erik looked up at her, his eyes shining still. He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her fully on the lips. _

"_Thank You," he replied quietly as he pressed his forehead against hers. "Thank You."_

_Charles had to stop for a bit on his way to the pool. He could sense Emily's presence in that area but he needed a moment to gather his thoughts. _

_He understood why Erik was now angry with him. It was true that he hadn't said anything about Hank's experiment, but at the same time hadn't actually planned on telling them about it either. _

_Everything had been going great that morning, he thought as he began his journey towards the pool again. He had been looking forward to training with Emily and then Erik went and showed up in his bed. _

_Once Charles reached the indoor pool, the smell of chlorine filled his nose. He remembered learning how to swim in this pool with Raven. He smiled to himself as he thought about the hours they had spent splashing around and then the maid lecturing them on how wrinkled they were afterwards. _

_Charles stopped next to the edge of the pool and looked around. He spotted Emily's sweat pants and a towel, but saw no sign of Emily herself. He reached out with his mind and felt the familiar brush of hers; she had to be somewhere close. _

_Shrugging, he threw his own towel next to hers and reached down to lift up the foot pedals of the wheelchair. Charles hesitated momentarily before sliding down onto the floor. He had, of course, changed into his swim trunks and just thrown on an undershirt for a cover-up. He sat on the edge of the pool near the stairs descending into the water lowered his legs in. _

_There was a pain in his heart when he once again came to the realization that he could not feel the water. Charles sighed and pulled his shirt off, placing in place where he hoped the water wouldn't reach it. _

_Slowly, but surely, he slid into the pool onto the stairs. He felt the water lap at his stomach; the cool feeling numbing the area slightly. Charles didn't particularly care for this easing in thing. He would have actually jumped in, but seeing as he was lacking in the walking department, jumping was out of the question. _

_Once he sat on the second step he finally began to relax a little. That was when he looked down to the other end of the pool where he saw something moving in the water. _

'_Surely she didn't sneak in on me?' Charles thought watching the figure. _

_The figure resurfaced, gasping for air. However, she resurfaced right under the diving board causing her to hit her head. _

"_Oh God! Who put that there?" Emily yelled rubbing her head._

"_I believe my father did about 15 years ago." Charles called out his voice echoing slightly._

_Emily went very still as she stared at Charles. _

"_I thought you were still upstairs." She stammered. _

"_No not really. I believe I said we were going to go for a swim so here I am." Charles replied patting the water. _

_Emily however didn't move any closer. Charles studied her and noticed she didn't seem to be putting much effort into treading water. He knew for a fact that there was most certainly nothing to stand on down there. _

"_Are you okay?" Charles asked concern very much present in his voice. _

"_I'm fine," she squeaked rubbing the part of her head she had hit._

"_Come here, let me look at your head." Charles said motioning for her. _

"_No really, I'm fine Charles," she replied quickly shaking her head back and forth. _

"_Emily, you're being ridiculous. Just come here," Charles laughed. _

_Emily sunk a little lower in the water; her nose just above the surface. _

_Charles raised an eyebrow and slid down onto the third step. The water now came up to chest. _

'_What are afraid of?' he asked in her mind._

"_Nothing!" Emily shouted. _

_Charles sighed, "Please, just come here and I won't look at your head. We can just sit." He said trying a new tactic. _

"_I don't want you to see me." Emily said looking down at the water._

_Charles laughed. "Emily I can assure you, you are beautiful. I'm not going to judge you one bit."_

_Emily thought for a moment. "Fine, but seriously you had better say nothing," She said in a dangerous tone. She took a deep breath and went underwater again. _

_Charles had to admit he was thoroughly confused. Why would he comment on her looks? He had to admit he did find her very attractive, but he hadn't felt like he was quite ready to take their relationship to the next level yet. _

_However, as Emily swam closer, Charles realized what she had been talking about. She resurfaced right in front of him, her top half coming out of the water. Charles took in the sight before him carefully. _

_Beginning at the joint where her arms met her body were what looked like little scales that multiplied down her body. The same scales could also be found lightly covering her arms, fading out at her elbows. The scales continued down her torso; their appearance becoming more pronounced. _

_It was Emily's lower half that left Charles in awe. She no longer had legs past her hips, but a sleek tail that literally seems right out of a fairy tail. _

"_Can you stop staring?" Emily asked in a small voice._

_Charles brought his eyes up to where they met hers and smiled. She was close enough to him to where if she moved her stomach would hit his legs. She folded her arms and placed them on his legs followed by her resting her head on top of them. _

_Charles was startled by the contact, despite his lack of feeling. She closed her eyes and just floated for awhile._

_He looked down her back where her long hair was splayed out in the water covering most of her back. The tail was a mix between light and dark green; mainly depending on the scales. He tentatively reached out and touched the scales on her arm, finding them tough, yet soft at the same time. _

_Charles next action, however, was unpredicted by Emily. _

_He pulled her up gently to where she was facing him, yet was still in the water. Charles brushed her hair back behind her ear and locked eyes with her; her green meeting his blue._

_He cupped her face, whispering, "You are beautiful." He said each word slowly, pouring his heart out to her. _

_Then he leaned down and kissed her. _

_Emily wasn't sure how to react in the first few seconds before she tossed all sense aside and returned his actions._

_She drew up closer to him, deepening the kiss while wrapping her arms around his neck. _

_Charles was the first to pull back, but only because of the need for air. _

"_I have wanted to do that for a long time," He murmured so softly that she only just barely heard._

_Emily just smiled and captured his lips again, hoping that this was an adequate response._

_Charles tensed slightly, feeling a new presence brushing against his mind. He didn't want this to end. _

"_Pool make out lessons, sign me up." Came Erik's voice. _

_Emily detached from Charles quickly and sank back under the water towards the deep end. _

_Erik pulled up his pants legs and sat down to where Charles could see him. _

"_Erik," Charles growled, his frustration with these surprise entrances growing. _

"_What?" Erik asked innocently as he swung his legs back and forth in the water. _

"_She's embarrassed. I'm not quite sure she has exactly let anyone see her like this." Charles replied calming his mind. _

"_She is very unique," Erik said hoping to lighten the tension. He could sense Charles had a great amount of feelings for this girl, who he still didn't know the name for. _

"_Yes, she is and I would like her to come back up here," Charles sighed visibly relaxing. "Just don't say anything." He added. _

'_Emily, I'm sorry I didn't sense him. I was focused on you. You do that to me,' Charles said in her mind, chuckling slightly. _

'_Who is he?' she replied cautiously._

'_He is a very good friend of mine. I trust him greatly. I wouldn't be asking you to come back up here if I didn't' Charles said gently. _

'_I had wanted to do that for a long time too,' Emily said shyly. _

'_Maybe we can do it more often,' Charles suggested his smile becoming apparent on the outside. _

_Erik looked at the telepath questioningly. Part of him was curious to hear their conversation, but another part didn't want to know based off of the goofy grin Charles now wore. _

"_She's coming," Charles said to Erik._

"_You look like a teenage boy drooling over the new hot girl," Erik said chuckling._

"_Shut up Erik," Charles grumbled, but still kept his smile on. _

_Emily came up next to Charles, but hid slightly behind his knees. She peered over his legs at Erik, who gave her a strange look back. _

"_I don't bite," he said._

"_I figured," Emily replied hoisted herself up to a sitting position next to Charles. _

"_Nice tail," Erik said._

_Emily flicked her tail to where she splashed Erik, earning a hearty laugh from Charles. _

"_I'm serious!" Erik whined brushing the water off his jacket. _

"_I'm afraid you deserved that one, my friend," Charles said still laughing. "Anyways, Emily this is Erik. Erik this is Emily."_

"_Nice to finally know your name," Erik said nodding in acknowledgement. _

_Emily laughed, "Right back at you."_

"_So do you have on a swim suit under that tail?" Erik asked with a lopsided smile._

"_Erik! That is most certainly not appropriate!" Charles exclaimed pulling himself out of the water and back up to the first step. _

"_But it is a valid question," Erik pointed out._

_Emily had turned a shade of red as the two men looked at her. "No, I don't. I technically don't need the time either." She said looking down. _

_Charles cleared his throat, "Ah well, um, we can keep it on for now."_

'_For now, Charles?' Emily asked in his mind, giggling. _

_Charles turned a deep shade of red. "Can you control this part of your mutation?" He asked hoping Erik wouldn't notice his blushing._

"_Yes, 100% positive I can. I can just do my arms or certain parts, but that takes loads of concentration." She replied. _

"_How about we talk about this somewhere less watery? I would also like a word with you Charles," Erik said calmly. _

_Emily nodded, "You two turn around and close your eyes. I'm going to get out and put on my pants."_

_Charles nodded and Erik simply obeyed. _

_She changed forms and got dressed rather quickly. "It's okay to look now," she said as she towel dried her hair._

"_We'll meet you in the study," Charles said smiling up at her. _

"_Do you need help?" she asked quietly, kneeling next to him. _

_Charles sighed, "I suppose."_

'_I'm impressed you have learned to take the help I offer you,' Emily projected._

'_I'm a fast learner,' Charles replied._

'_No you're not. It's taken you almost a year to learn that one,' Emily chuckled. _

_Charles pulled himself up out of the water. "Can you put the towel on my chair?" He asked as he situated his legs._

_Emily nodded and spread the towel out. Erik was now standing. He was watching the pair very closely, ready to assist. He had a feeling that they had done this type of thing before. _

_Emily pulled the chair closer then stood behind Charles. She wrapped her arms under his and pulled him up into the chair easily. She reached down behind her and brought forth her own towel. She readjusted the foot holds then draped the towel over Charles's legs causing him to smile. _

_She patted them down then stood up. _

"_You didn't have to do that," Charles murmured._

"_I don't want you dripping all over my nice clean floors," Emily replied leaning towards him with her hands on each armrest. _

_Charles smiled, "I won't be long. Trust me I'll be okay."_

_She leaned in next to his ear and whispered, "It's him I don't trust. Alex told me who did this to you and his name was Erik as well. If I'm not mistaken this would be the same Erik."_

_Charles sighed, "I'll be okay. Monitor me here," he said tapping the side of her head._

_Emily kissed him quickly on the cheek before backing away. She gave Erik a wary look as she left the pool and went back into the mansion. _

_Once he was sure she was gone, Erik strode over to Charles. He stood far enough away to where he wouldn't be looking down upon him. _

"_How much does she know about me?" he asked breaking the silence._

_Charles smiled at how similar the question was to the one Erik had asked as he had planned to leave the C.I.A. base all that time ago. _

_Charles chose to respond with the exact same thing he had said the last time._

"_Everything,"_


	16. Chapter 16: Talking

_A/N: I'm sorry for the delay in update. It's been a rough month. _

_I would like to say now that updates may be coming even slower. _

_Yesterday, I found out that my 12 year old black lab retriever mix has been diagnosed with liver failure along with multiple masses through out his abdomen. He has had a previous surgery about two years ago to remove a softball sized cancerous tumor. We had thought we had gotten it all. He has been given a week to a month to live at best. _

_Its going to be rough for me and my family so bare with me :)_

_Thank You very much for your patience in advance and thank you for reading. Please Review._

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><p><em>Chapter 16: Talking<em>

_Charles changed slowly out of his swimsuit. He knew Erik was sitting just on the other side of the door waiting. _

_Over the past year Charles hadn't really even thought of how he would explain anything to Erik. His life had changed dramatically once Emily and the children had come live at the mansion. His disability also called for new changes to his lifestyle. _

_He had always imagined talking to Raven, explaining everything to her would be much easier. _

_Charles could feel Erik's concern growing. Soon enough he heard a knock on the door. _

"_Are you alright Charles?" called the other man's voice. _

"_Yes, Erik, it just takes me a little longer to do things now," Charles replied. He looked down at his already clothed body; what he had said was pretty much a lie._

_There was silence on the other side of the door. _

"_Right, of course, take your time." Erik mumbled. _

_Charles sighed. He knew that this had to be hard for Erik. This was the first time he had actually seen him in the wheelchair. He knew that Erik blamed himself to no end; constantly mentally beating himself. _

_Finally, Charles gathered the courage to exit the bathroom and wheel himself over to the sitting area in his room. Erik sat in one of the armchairs, or more specifically, the one Emily had sat in this morning. Charles positioned himself across from his friend and reached for the glass and brandy on the side table. _

"_Would you like some?" Charles asked hoping to ease the tension. _

"_Sure," Erik replied quietly. Charles could tell he was examining his legs and wheelchair. _

_He handed a glass to Erik and took a sip of his own. _

"_So you said you wanted to talk to me," Charles said relaxing slightly. _

"_Charles, I'm so…" Erik began._

"_Don't," Charles said cutting him off. Erik looked up at him confused, his eyes shining. _

"_I believe my next lesson for you is for you to finally understand that I forgive you. You need to let this go Erik. I can tell its hurting you more than it should." Charles continued._

"_It is a hard lesson to learn, unfortunately, my friend," Erik replied taking a rather large drink before sinking back into the chair. _

_Charles finally was able to get a go look at the man across from him. Erik looked very tired and worn. He was not a clean shaven as he use to be. He still wore the same style of clothing as he once did, but it seemed to hang off of him a bit more. _

"_Now that we have gotten that out of the way, tell me more about this cure McCoy seems to believe he has discovered. And who was that boy?" Erik asked his tone returning to normal. _

_Charles chuckled, "I wondered when you would ask about Hudson. How about I explain about the newest residents first?"_

_Erik nodded for him to continue._

"_Well the oldest one you met already, that's Emily. She is two years younger than myself and is a telepath and can manipulate water. What you saw at the pool I just learned and she has been here for almost a year." Charles began._

"_You like her, don't you?" Erik asked coyly._

_Charles flushed and took another sip of his drink._

"_You would like her, Erik. You two have something very much in common."_

"_And what would that exactly be?" Erik asked leaning forward. _

"_She was held captive for six years by the government; where during that time she was extensively experimented on as well as tortured, if you would like to call it that," Charles said hesitating on the last bit. _

"_It appears we do have something in common," Erik replied sitting back again._

"_When she arrived here after she was broken out of the facility, she had four boys and one girl with her. Scott is the oldest of the boys, he's 11 now. We actually discovered he is Alex's brother. His mutation is similar to Alex's; it's easier to see that explain. Hudson and George are both 8 years old now. Hudson can heal people. It's rather extraordinary. George uses music to manipulate people's emotions. Christopher is 10. He can transform himself into different animals. He actually reminds me of you a lot," Charles explained. _

"_Of me? Does he have nice hair?" Erik asked chuckling._

"_Yes he has nice hair, but I meant more along the lines of attitude," Charles replied. "He very much has the 'why should we have to hid' and 'mutant and proud' mentality."_

"_Sounds like a good kid to me," Erik said smiling. _

_There was a knock at the bedroom. _

"_Come in," Charles called as he craned his neck around to see who it was. He smiled brightly and turned back to face Erik. _

_It was little Iris. She came into the room and shuffled over to Charles holding a few pieces of paper in her hand. Charles set his drink down as she approached, not noticing the expression on Erik's face. _

_Iris was smiling brightly as she crawled up onto Charles's lap, situating herself to where she was comfortable. _

"_Look what I drew with Sean," She said holding up the papers. "This is Emmy and that's Hank. They are racing each other around the house, see?" _

"_Yes I do, this is wonderful." Charles said taking the picture. The drawing was, of course, made of stick figures with different colors. Hank's figure was blue and actually had what looked like hair. _

_Iris held up another paper, "This one is of you and me. We are in the garden where you showed me the butterflies, remember?" Iris said excitedly. _

"_Of course I remember! Why wouldn't I?" Charles replied chuckling. He looked closely at the drawing and raised an eyebrow. "Sweetheart, why did you draw me standing?"_

"_Because Hudson said Hank can fix you, so once your fixed we can go back to the garden," Iris said looking up at him with her big blue eyes. _

_Erik choked slightly on his drink after Iris finished. She whipped her head around to see where the noise had come from. Her eyes widened as Charles felt her shrink back against his chest. _

"_Iris, it's okay, this is my friend, Erik." Charles said soothingly as he gave her a little squeeze. _

_Iris looked at Erik intently before looking back at Charles, "Uncle Erik?" she asked. _

_Charles laughed as he watched Erik's face slowly shift to a look of shear confusion. _

"_I guess you can call him that," Charles said looking at Erik for approval. He nodded once in reply._

_Iris slid off of Charles's lap and walked over to Erik. She placed her two little hands on with of his knees and looked up at him. _

_Erik couldn't help but feel this rush of cuteness flood through his body. This little girl was absolutely adorable. _

"_Do you like pancakes?" she asked completely serious. _

"_Yes, I do," Erik replied slowly. Iris's face broke out into a smile again as she pounced onto Erik, hugging him tightly before breaking away. She walked back over to Charles who was laughing. _

"_I like him," she said nodding her head. _

"_I do too, Sweetheart. Why don't you go on and do some more drawings." Charles replied leaning down to her height. _

"_Sounds like a good idea!" She said brightly hugging him around the neck. She went skipping out of the room, but called out behind her, "See you at dinner Uncle Erik and Daddy!"_

_The door closed behind her with a click. Charles had stiffened up completely. _

"_Charles?" Erik said slightly concerned. "What is it?"_

"_She has never called me that before. It's just kind of shocking," Charles said quietly._

"_I'm surprised she hasn't. You my friend are a natural at the fathering business," Erik said raising his glass. _

_Charles scoffed, "If you think so my friend." He took a gulp of his own drink and relaxed back against his chair. _

"_I do say so. Now that was the little girl you were talking about." Erik said urging Charles on. _

"_Yes, that was Iris. She can control plants." Charles replied. _

"_That is amazing. I can't wait to see these kids in action." Erik said enthusiastically. _

_Charles chuckled, "It is a sight to see."_

"_Are you seriously considering this cure thing?" Erik asked. _

_Charles didn't reply. He had had that question floating in his mind for a long time. He didn't know how to answer Erik._

"_Possibly," Charles finally replied, figuring it was the safest answer. _

"_Raven won't take 'possibly' as an answer." Erik said in a blunt tone. _

_Charles took this statement as his chance to deviate from the topic. _

"_Speaking of Raven, you have been taking care of her, right?" Charles questioned._

_It was now Erik's turn to blush slightly. "Of course I have."_

"_Is there more to that that I should know about?" Charles pressed, raising an eyebrow. _

_Erik looked away, "No, she's good. Just fine."_

_The corners of Charles's mouth turned up in a grin as the realization dawned on him. _

"_Do you like my sister, Erik?" Charles asked smirking. _

_Erik coughed since he had been drinking at the moment. He looked back at Charles and glared. "Oh wipe that silly smirk off your face, Charles Xavier." Erik growled. _

_Charles laughed, "I don't have a problem with it. Actually it would be nice to actually know the person Raven dates. Now I have close contact with him."_

_Erik didn't know how to reply nor did he know how much wanted to actually let Charles know about Raven and him. It was a thin line._

"_Are you two staying for awhile?" Charles asked, sensing that Erik wanted to change the subject._

"_Yes, if you don't mind," Erik replied setting his now empty glass on the table. _

"_Of course, I don't mind at all. Your rooms are still the way you left them. This is you twos home as well. You are always welcome here." Charles said. _

"_I think I'm going to go lay down before dinner. My mind is reeling." Erik said standing up. _

"_I believe I need to do some explaining to Emily," Charles said looking over at the door connecting their rooms. _

_Erik walked over to the door that led to the hall. "That would probably be a good idea."_

"_It's good to have you back, my friend." Charles said smiling as he wheeled himself to the end of his bed facing the door. _

"_It's good to be back." _


	17. Chapter 17: Taking the Next Step

_A/N: Once Again sorry for the slow updates... my dog is doing okay for now so thank you for all of your well wishes._

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><p><em>Chapter 17: Taking the Next Step<em>

_Charles rolled himself over to the door to Emily's room and knocked; there was no answer. Curious, Charles opened the door and entered the room. He noticed her bed was not made, as usual. _

_He heard the distant sound of water running in the bathroom. As he wheeled closer he could smell the familiar scent of her shampoo. He hesitated slightly before knocking on the door. _

"_Emily, once your done I need to talk to you," Charles called out._

_The water shut off quickly, followed by the sound of Emily wringing out her hair. The door swung open to reveal Emily in a towel. She looked extremely relieved to see him. In a swift movement she lunged forward and wrapped her arms around his neck. _

"_You're okay! I couldn't sense you at all, I couldn't see anything! I thought…I thought he did something to you," Emily said hurriedly._

_Charles returned the hug lightly, then pushed her back by the shoulders. _

"_You're dripping all over me," he chuckled. "And of course I'm fine. Erik would never do anything to hurt me."_

_Emily's smile faded away. She turned around and went back into the bathroom. _

"_What? Did I say something wrong?" Charles asked wheeling into the door way. _

_Emily now had on a robe on. Her hair was up in the towel and she was brushing her teeth. Once she finish she turned to look at Charles. She was most definitely angry._

_She began to walk out of the bathroom, but Charles grabbed her by the wrist._

"_Hey, that's not fair. If you're not going to tell me what's wrong, I can always find out." He said in a low tone. _

"_You wouldn't dare." Emily said in the same tone._

"_Yes I would. Now just tell me." Charles said releasing her. _

_She continued past him and back into her room. She walked over to her dresser and paused. _

"_He did hurt you Charles and it was unintentional. I just don't want to see you get hurt any more." Emily said. She pulled out some lounge pants, a shirt, and underwear. _

_Charles flushed slightly as he caught a glimpse at her underwear. It wasn't like he had never seen a bra before it was just different when it belonged Emily. He saw her everyday and knew exactly what she was wearing underneath. _

_He figured that the strange feeling would dull over time, but it hadn't reached that point yet. _

"_Emily, he won't hurt me." Charles replied._

"_Turn around so I can change," Emily said quietly, still not facing him. _

"_I can just go into my room," Charles said backing up towards the door. _

"_No I want to talk here and you are already here. So just turn around. I change pretty quickly." Emily said looking at him. _

_Charles smiled and did as he was told. _

"_I met that other girl on my way up from the pool, Raven right?" Emily said trying to make the situation less awkward for Charles. _

_Charles chuckled, "Ah, yes, Raven. She is quite lovely isn't she? I'm glad you met her. Raven is my sister, you know."_

"_How come you have never talked about her?" Emily asked pulling on her shirt. "I'm good now."_

_Charles turned back around, "I haven't talked about her because of how much I have missed her."_

_Emily crossed over to her bed and crawled up into the mess of blankets. _

"_Well, tell me about her before you go onto your other topic." Emily said motioning for him to come there. Charles wheeled himself over to the other side of the bed and hoisted himself up onto the place Emily had just cleared for him. _

_He got himself comfortable amongst all the blankets and turned to look at her. _

"_Do you have enough covers?" he said lifting up the blankets._

_Emily laughed, "No I do not, now don't try and change the subject."_

_She had herself situated to where she sat next to him cross legged. Her wet hair hung limply around her shoulders. _

"_I found Raven after she had broken into the house. She was in the kitchen impersonating my mother. I convinced the entire house at age 11 that she was supposed to be there. She is my best friend." Charles paused and looked at Emily._

"_Then what am I?" She asked crossing her arms across her chest. _

_Charles smiled, "I'd like for you to be my girlfriend."_

_Emily blushed deeply, "Can I tell you something?"_

"_Sure go ahead."_

"_I haven't exactly ever had a boyfriend." Emily whispered. _

_Charles laughed, "That's perfectly fine. I will tell you I haven't had many girlfriends. They were more of…well…one night stands. But I am not like that anymore."_

"_Ha, you? A ladies man?" Emily mocked._

"_I'm young. I'm entitled to have some fun." Charles protested. _

_Emily laughed. She moved around to where she was laying next to Charles. She laid her head down on his chest cautiously and relaxed when he wrapped his arm around her small body. _

"_I guess I'll be your girlfriend, but on one condition." Emily said._

"_And that would be?"_

"_We go slow. You Mr. Experienced have done this before, obviously. I have not. It's new territory." She mumbled into his chest._

"_Deal," Charles replied petting her still damp head._

"_Tell me more about Raven. Why did she leave you?" Emily asked._

_Charles sighed deeply. "She didn't leave me. I told her to go. After what happened on the beach, I knew she wanted to be with Erik, but she felt obligated to stay with me because of my injury. I never wanted her to feel obligated to stay with me, so I told her to go with him. I'm glad she came back. You should get to know her. You would like her a lot, Erik as well."_

"_I'm still not so sure about him," she grumbled in response._

"_He grows on you, trust me," Charles whispered kissing the top of her head. _

_Emily lay quiet for awhile. She found a certain peace just lying there listening to Charles's heart beat. He was completely calm while her heart felt as if it might melt away. _

"_You wanted to talk to me about something?" She asked breaking the silence. _

_Charles shifted under her and cleared his throat. "Hank thinks he's got this cure thing figured out."_

_Emily stiffened before sitting up to look at him. "What?"_

"_Yeah, he let it slip down in the lab with Raven and Erik. They are completely freaking out now, of course. I…I just don't know what to do. I'm just so worried something is going to go wrong. I wanted your opinion." Charles said looking defeated. _

_Emily noticed that he rarely let his guard down like this. Part of her felt honored that he trusted her enough to let her see him like this, but another part ached at the sight of seeing him so confused and lost. _

"_I believe you should do it. Do it tonight to get it out of the way. If it doesn't work, we will all be here for you. If it does, I know Alex just made a trip to the liquor store." Emily said smiling._

_Charles couldn't help but smile back. He knew she was right, but there was still hesitation in the decision. _

"_Maybe," Charles mumbled._

"_No, Charles Xavier this is not a maybe situation. I want you to do this. I want you to be able to feel it when I touch your leg. I want you to be able to walk with me in the gardens and down to the lake. I know you want to run around with Iris, I have seen that longing look in your eyes every time Alex, Sean, or Hank does. I want you to do this so you can be happy." Emily exclaimed. _

_She came closer and placed her hands on either side of his face and looked him in the eye. _

"_You spend so much time taking care of us; it's time you took care of yourself," she whispered before leaning in a kissing him on the lips. _

_Charles felt every doubt in his mind melt away. He wrapped his hands in her hair and pulled her in closer to him. However, it was him who pulled away once the need for air became to great. _

"_You are going to be very bad for me. You are intoxicating, love." Charles breathed. _

_Emily giggled and backed away from him. "Come on, the kids need to be introduced to Erik and Raven."_

_Charles looked over at his chair as Emily slid off the other side of the bed. _

"_You won't need that soon," she said._

_Charles smiled and looked back at her. He watched her brushed her drying hair and pull to auburn locks up into a pony tail. _

'_I know,' he whispered in her mind before sliding into the chair and rolling towards the door. _

"_After you, m'lady," he said pulling the door into the hallway open. _

"_Why thank you good sir," she said playing along. _

_She waited for him outside of the door. Once out, Emily took his hand in hers and smiled. _

"_They are in the living room, I just asked them to meet us there." She said. _

"_Then what are we waiting for?" he replied giving her hand a squeeze._

_Charles felt a sense of confidence wash over his mind. He felt strong, more focused. He finally had his family home. Now it was just a matter of taking the next step forward. _


	18. Chapter 18: One Strange Family

_A/N: Once again sorry for the slow updates. I hope you stick with me_

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><p><em>Chapter 18: One Strange Family. <em>

_The living room seemed to be growing smaller in Charles's opinion. That may have had to do with the fact at a good portion of it was taken up by the Christmas tree, but still it was cramped with the Raven and Erik. _

_Looking at the now decorated tree made Charles realize that he hadn't even gotten the kids presents yet. He wanted this Christmas to be special for them. They hadn't really gotten a true Christmas while they were captured. However, he didn't really want to go shopping with Emily for the presents. She would protest against him getting her anything. _

_Charles smiled as he saw Raven sitting on the couch with Iris in her lap. He could ask Raven to go with him. She most likely wouldn't protest the idea of shopping. _

_Iris seemed to have found two new friends in Erik and Raven already. Despite the fact she had just me the pair, Iris was already climbing all over them. It was a comforting sight for Charles. _

_Hank was the last person to enter the room. He decided to just lean up against the doorway instead of trying to sit any where. _

"_Ah well now that we are all here, I thought I would be good to first introduce the children to Raven and Erik and then discuss dinner." Charles said. Emily sat down next to him on the floor, leaning up against his chair for support. _

"_Oh! Can I tell Uncle Erik who everybody is?" Iris said bouncing up and down excitedly on the couch._

"_Sure you can," Charles chuckled._

_Iris slid off the couch and walked over to Emily. "Ok this is Emmy, she is basically all of ours Mommy. You already know Charles, who is basically everyone's Daddy." Iris said pointing to the two. Charles and Emily both blushed as Iris called them Daddy and Mommy. It seemed fitting since the two were the oldest of the group before Erik came back._

_Iris moved on, "This is Hank; he's very cuddly and makes good pancakes." Erik snorted._

"_This is Alex and Sean, who are awesome big brothers. This is Scott, who is really Alex's brother. This is Christopher, George, and Hudson." Iris said smiling brightly. "Everybody this is Aunt Raven and Uncle Erik." She finished sitting back down between the pair. _

_All the boys nodded and smiled back at Iris. _

"_Thank you Iris, you did a great job. Now what shall we do about dinner? I know it is just past lunch time, but it typically takes us this long to decide on what to eat anyways." Charles said leaning back in his chair. _

"_I was just going to make a big pot of spaghetti tonight. Maybe throw in a few vegetables on the side as well." Hank suggested. _

"_Sounds good to me," Erik replied crossing one leg over the other. _

"_Great, well, we are done here then. Kids you can go play now. I want the rest of you to stay here for a bit , I have other matters I would like to discuss." Charles explained. _

_The children happily jumped up and ran out of the room and up stairs to play. Hank shifted further into the room, taking a seat in front of the tree. _

"_Erik has informed me that there will be two children coming by tomorrow to check out the school. Yes, I realize that we haven't exactly gotten that far, but I believe it's time we did. I want Alex and Sean to go clear out two of the rooms upstairs and make them look presentable. Try and get the children to pick up some of their toys as well. They seem to listen to you two pretty well." Charles ordered._

_Alex nodded and followed Sean out of the room. _

"_Now, before these children start arriving by the boat load, I have decided that I want to go ahead a try this cure that Hank has come up with." Charles said with a sigh._

"_Charles, do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, no offense, the last cure Hank came up with didn't exactly work." Erik asked looking worried._

_Hank hunched over a bit, catching Charles's eye. _

"_I have faith in Hank that he got this right." Charles replied looking directly into Erik's steely eyes. _

"_Ok, when do you want to do it then?" Raven asked in a small voice. _

"_Tonight, after all the children are in bed. I don't want Alex and Sean to know quite yet. I just want you four to know." Charles said quietly._

"_Tonight? That's awfully soon Charles." Raven said her voice cracking slightly. _

"_I'm looking at it this way. This is either going to help me or it's not. Now imagine if I could be walking by Christmas." Charles said leaning forward._

"_That would be a miracle," Erik mumbled running a hand through his hair. _

"_All I am asking from each of you is for you to trust me." Charles said. _

_The room fell silent. Emily stood up next to Charles and patted his hand that was resting on the chair arm. _

"_Tonight then," She said sighing before walking out of the room. _

"_Hey it's the old gang," Erik said trying to lighten the mood._

_Charles chuckled, "Yes it is."_

"_I'm going to go set everything up then go start on dinner." Hank mumbled hurrying out of the room as well. _

_Raven looked at Charles and smiled slightly. "Um, so how have you been?" she said trying to make conversation. _

"_Good, well, as best as can be expected." Charles replied._

"_Ah, the kids seem nice," Raven continued shifting nervously away from Erik._

_Charles caught the action a smiled. "I do know about you two, Raven. Erik and I have already had a nice long talk."_

_Erik chuckled, a smile finally appearing on his face. Raven would have blushed if she could have in her blue form. _

"_I'm going to go stretch my legs. You and Raven need to talk anyways." Erik said standing up. _

_Raven looked at Erik as if she were going to kill him. She obviously didn't want to talk to Charles yet. Erik smirked and left the room, leaving the brother and sister alone. _

"_He told he has been treating you well, but I want to hear it from you," Charles said wheeling closer to the couch. _

_Raven watched him come closer, her eyes transfixed on the wheelchair. Tears began to form in her eyes._

"_Yes, Charles, he has been wonderful." She choked out. _

"_Raven?" Charles asked his voice full of concern as he took her hand in his own._

"_I'm so sorry I left you. I shouldn't have. You needed your family and I left you…just lying there," Raven whispered. _

"_I believe I was the one who told you to go with him." Charles said in a soothing voice. _

_Raven sniffled, "I guess, but still why did I choose that one moment to actually listen to you?"_

_Charles laughed, "It is curious isn't it? Don't worry about it, Raven. You're here now and that's what matters to me."_

_Raven leaned forward and fell against his chest. She inhaled the familiar scent that was Charles and relaxed her body. _

"_I have missed you so much." She mumbled into his chest._

"_I missed you too." Charles replied embracing her tightly as if she might just slip away again._

_The rest of the afternoon went by smoothly. Erik and Charles ended up playing a rather long game of chess; just like old times. Emily and Raven sat in the study with the two men talking to each other. The house seemed to have relaxed as the hours wasted away. _

_When Hank finally called out that dinner was ready, Charles felt a wave of uneasiness wash over him. _

_After dinner, the children would go to bed and he would go down to the lab. He couldn't hide the fact he was nervous. He sat quietly at his place at the table and just observed the group before him. _

_They were truly one strange family. _

"_So Christmas is a few weeks away," Raven said in between mouthfuls of spaghetti._

"_Erik, what did you use to do for Christmas?" Sean asked reaching for the basket of bread. _

"_I'm Jewish," Erik replied simply causing Emily laugh. _

"_Okay, so do we need to get a Menorah then?" Hank asked seriously. _

"_No, that will not be necessary. The tree is just fine," Erik replied smirking. _

"_Charles and I were a terror during Christmas. God, I'm still surprised we didn't scare the maids off," Raven reminisced. _

"_Oh really? What trouble did you get yourself into Charles?" Emily asked._

_Charles snapped out of his trance and smiled, "Raven and I liked to open our presents and then put then back under the tree. It drove the maids crazy because mother would make them wrap them again."_

"_You evil little child," Erik said sipping his drink._

"_Horribly evil," Raven said laughing._

"_Come on kids, its time for bed," Alex said picking up each child's plate. _

_Iris hopped down and walked over to Charles. She stood up on the tips of her toes and kissed him on the cheek. "Night, Night."_

_She did the same with Emily and Raven and surprisingly, Erik too. Erik blushed slightly causing Charles to grin._

_Once the children where gone Charles said, "Admit it, you like her."_

"_Maybe," Erik grumbled getting up at taking the remainder of the plates to the sink. _

_Hank got up silently and headed towards the lab. A lump began to form in Charles's throat. Emily saw Charles tense. _

_She knelt down next to him and grabbed his hand. "I'll be right there." She whispered. _

_Erik and Raven had already left the room. _

"_Let's go get this over with," Charles mumbled and began to roll himself towards the lab. Emily hung back behind him. _

_They quietly rode the elevator down to the lower levels. Charles could sense that Raven and Erik were in the lab already._

_He found that Hank had indeed set everything up. _

"_Now, if you could just sit up here." Hank said motioning to the examination table. _

_Emily moved to help Charles up, but he shook his head. He placed his hands up on the table and lifted himself up in one swift movement. _

"_Impressive, Charles." Erik commented from his place in the corner. _

_Charles chuckled in return as he situated himself on the table. "I had to be able to get around some how."_

_Erik nodded and turned his gaze towards Hank. _

"_That's a big needle," Raven stammered. _

"_Not now, Raven." Charles hissed. _

"_Um, just lift up your shirt." Hank said readying the needle. Raven moved back towards Erik and Emily moved closer to Charles. _

_Charles untucked his shirt and pulled it up for Hank. Emily grabbed Charles's free hand as Hank approached. _

_Hank paused and wiped Charles's lower back with an alcohol wipe. He could see the scar from the bullet clearly. He gulped and grabbed a smaller needle first._

"_This is to numb the area. You'll feel a little pinch." Hank explained. _

_As he inserted the needle, Charles gasped in pain and squeezed Emily's hand tightly._

"_Not a little pinch Hank," Charles hissed. _

"_All done, sorry Professor." Hank apologized grabbing the needle that held the cure. _

"_Why couldn't you have just put the cure in the part of his spine he can't feel?" Erik asked crossing his arms. _

"_Because that's the part we are trying to heal. I designed the cure to assist the healthy cells. Now this one, Professor, is going to hurt." Hank explained readying the second needle. _

"_Just do it," Charles whispered bracing himself. He felt the needle the entire time, even with the numbing. _

_Charles yelled out in pain as Emily moved closer. Raven sunk back into Erik's chest trying not to watch. Charles buried his head into Emily's shoulder, while trying not to move. _

_For Erik, it was like reliving the beach in Cuba all over again. Charles was in pain and he couldn't help. He had to stand back and watch helplessly. _

"_There I'm done," Hank said backing away. _

_Charles didn't move for awhile. He kept still as Emily held him. She moved to pull Charles's shirt back down. _

_Emily heard the door open then close again. She looked behind her and saw that Raven had left and Erik was moving to go after her. _

"_I'm surprised they stayed that long," Charles choked out. _

"_Hey, you okay?" Emily asked as he pulled away from her. She ran her hand through his hair and brushed away a tear that had escaped from his eye._

"_I will be." He whispered. _

"_Professor, I just need to check a few things and then you need to rest." Hank said moving in front of him. He knelt down and grabbed Charles's leg and bent it to where it was straight out. _

"_Hank stop!" Charles gasped as the muscles in his back tensed. _

"_Can you feel that?" Hank asked calmly._

"_You touching my leg? No not all," Charles replied. _

_Hank sighed and stood back up. "You should go lay do then. I'll see you tomorrow."_

_Emily helped him back into his chair and pushed him towards the elevator. She took him up to his room and helped him up into the bed. Charles was breathing heavily from the searing pain in his back._

_Emily went to his dresser and found some sleep pants and a fresh undershirt. _

"_You don't have to," Charles whispered._

"_Yes, I do. You are my boyfriend and you are in pain. Let me help you." Emily said quietly. _

_Charles reluctantly sat up and let Emily peal off his shirt. She pulled on the new one and let him sit back again. _

_Emily unbuckled his belt and unbuttoned his pants. She pulled down his pants and tossed them aside. She grabbed the sleep pants and began to pull them up his legs. Charles winced slightly. _

"_Sorry," she whispered. Next she pulled the blankets up around him and kissed him on the forehead. "Good night, Charles."_

_He grabbed her by the wrist as she walked away. "Don't leave me," he whispered._

_Emily's heart broke a little. It was hard to see him in such pain. She walked over to the other side of the bed and slid in next to him. He leaned against her and closed his eyes. _

"_Shhh, it's okay. I'm here, I'm here." Emily whispered whiled stroking his hair. _

_Now came the hardest part. Waiting to see if the cure worked. _


	19. Chapter 19: Shopping

_A/N: In honor of this being my last first day of high school, i thought i should celebrate. so here's another chapter :)_

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><p><em>Chapter 19: shopping<em>

_The next two weeks drug on slowly for Charles. He would wake up each morning hoping to feel something in his lower half, but he was only presented more disappointment. _

_Emily fought to keep his spirits up. She urged him to look on the positive side, despite the fact she herself was just as upset. She wanted him to be happy, but he seemed to just be fighting the feeling._

"_This is how he was after he got out of the hospital," Hank had told her. "He just became really depressed, no matter what."_

_Emily had feared that this may have happened if the cure hadn't worked. She had an idea about how to fix this new problem, but it was a matter of actually attempting to implement idea. _

_But today was different. Today, Charles seemed to be sinking lower into the depression. He hadn't even gotten out of bed that morning. So Emily found herself outside of Erik's door._

_She wasn't really the type of person to ask for help, but she had a feeling that Erik could. _

_She sighed and knocked on the door. The door knob turned and the door swung open. She poked her head in and looked around. _

"_That meant you could come in," came Erik's voice from in the corner. Emily found him sitting in an armchair that looked much like the ones in Charles's room. _

"_Hey," she said sitting across from him. _

"_Hello," he replied looking up from his book. _

_Emily just stared at him for a little bit. _

"_I'm assuming you came in here for a reason," Erik said in a smooth tone. _

"_Its Charles," she said quietly._

"_Not sure how much help I can be there," Erik replied looking back down at his book. _

"_He trusts you. He needs a morale boost something bad. I can't get through to him at all," Emily explained._

"_Talk to Raven. She will help," Erik said simply. _

_Emily paused, but then her temper flared. "No, you need to talk to him. You are his best friend." She growled._

_Erik looked up at her and raised an eyebrow. "Best friend?"_

"_Yes, you don't even know how often he talks about you. Besides, you owe him. You did this to him in the first place; you could at least try and fix him." Emily hissed._

_Erik was silent. Emily couldn't stand his gaze any longer and got up to leave. As she reached the doorway she felt a small tug at her bracelet. She looked back at Erik, whose expression had softened. _

"_I'll talk to him, but I'm making you no promises," he said quietly. Emily nodded and closed the door behind her. _

_She glanced door the hallway to hers and Charles's rooms and sighed. She decided that she couldn't talk to him now and headed down the hall in the opposite direction. _

_Erik waited until he couldn't sense Emily's presence anymore. He had grown accustomed to the feel of the metal of her bracelet. He closed the book and set it down on the side table. For a moment, he felt sick to his stomach. _

_If Charles wasn't letting Emily in then he probably wouldn't let him in. Erik sighed, it was nice to see someone besides himself and Raven caring so much for Charles. He chuckled; he had to admit Emily was loads better than Moira. _

_Erik finally got up and walked towards the door. His hand hesitated over the metal knob before turning it to open the door. He headed out into the hallway and looked towards Charles's room. He walked slowly towards the door, his footsteps echoing in the empty hall._

_He reached the room and stood in the open door way. Charles was sitting in his bed and had a newspaper opened up in front of him. _

"_Always reading," Erik said smoothly as he walked towards the bed. Charles lowered the newspaper and looked at Erik._

"_Yes, is that a problem?" Charles questioned. _

"_No, not at all; there was a time when you would smile," Erik answered sitting on the bed. _

_Charles didn't answer this time. _

"_You need to snap out of this Charles. You need to have a little bit more faith," Erik exclaimed._

"_Erik, there is no more faith left for me," Charles answered solemnly. _

"_Fine, you believe that; you go ahead and just let go. But for now you need to get yourself together. Charles, it's the holidays. I maybe Jewish but I do understand how important Christmas is to these children. Everyone is depressed, including the children." Erik explained. _

"_Now you're the one lecturing me," Charles quipped offering a small smile. _

"_Go shopping with Raven this afternoon. Go shopping with her sister and enjoy the holidays," Erik answered. _

_He got up and walked over to Charles's dresser and pulled out clean clothes. He flung them over to the bed and headed back out the door. _

"_Please get dressed first," Erik said over his shoulder as he closed the door, leaving Charles alone. _

_Charles sighed and folded up the newspaper. He pulled the clothes Erik had thrown at him closer and rolled his eyes. Erik had given him the one dark purple shirt he owned. _

'_Erik, what is up with you and purple?' Charles thought as he pulled his shirt off and replaced it with the clean one. He winced as he slid his legs off the side of the bed. His back still hurt from where Hank had injected the cure._

_Once his pants were changed he pulled the wheelchair closer. This whole situation had become a routine. He wheeled himself out the door and down the hallway. _

_He saw Erik standing at the end of the way. Erik gave him a lopsided grin and nodded for him to come on. Charles nodded in response and rolled down towards him. He found Raven waiting in the entrance hall next to Erik._

"_Come on, lazy. We have shopping to do. Those presents are going to buy themselves," she said excitedly._

_Emily walked in from the living room holding his shoes. "He needs shoes, Raven. I'm not sure it's in fashion to go around town in your socks." She said kneeling down and slipping his shoes on. She stood up and kissed him lightly. "Have fun."_

"_Thank you," He whispered. _

"_Yuck! It's still weird seeing someone kiss my brother," Raven grumbled._

"_It's not nearly as weird as seeing you kiss my best friend," Charles quipped smiling at her. _

_Being in her disguise, everyone saw the deep red blush creep onto her cheeks. Erik laughed heartily and laid his hand on Charles's shoulder. _

"_Now, that's the Charles I know," He said. Erik threw the keys to Raven, who caught them and quickly exited out the front door._

"_I believe you embarrassed her," Emily noticed, giggling slightly. Charles replied with a bright smile before following his sister. _

_Charles had to admit that he did not like Raven driving. She was a manic. She had a knack of swerving in and out of traffic well above the speed limit. His stomach had been in his throat the entire ride. _

_When she pulled into the parking complex, Charles sighed in relief. _

"_I'm not that bad," She scoffed. _

"_Just remind me never to let you drive my Jaguar," Charles chuckled unbuckling himself. _

_Raven playfully hit him on the arm and then slid out of the car. She pulled his wheelchair out of the trunk and placed it by his now open door. _

"_I must admit. This wheelchair got us one kickass parking space," Raven said patting the seat. _

"_I'm glad I could be of assistance," Charles replied sliding into the chair. _

_Raven closed the door once he had backed up._

_She sighed and pulled out a piece of paper out of her purse. _

"_Okay so Emily and I talked about what to get the kids. I know the perfect little store down the road. Of course you can input your opinion at any time." Raven said leading him out into the cold shopping strip. _

_Charles had actually been surprised how spot on Raven's list of gifts had been. Emily was a telepath too, so that could account for the accuracy as well._

_The two had retreated into a nearby boutique for little girls to warm up. Raven was lazily thumbing through the adorable dress up clothes, occasionally pulling out an outfit for inspection. She currently held a little chef outfit. _

"_I like that one," Charles said holding his hand out for it. Raven smiled and handed it to her brother. _

"_Iris loves to help Hank cook in the mornings. She would love this," he murmured glancing at the size._

_Raven couldn't help but smile. She hadn't seen him this happy in a very, very long time. She walked over to the blankets and pulled out one that looked much like a swaddling blanket. _

_Charles noticed what she was holding and raised an eyebrow. "Thinking of the future?" he said rolling up next to her. _

_Raven was startled slightly. "Right," she said sarcastically. She put the blanket back and rolled her eyes at him. _

"_Seriously, Raven. I believe you and Erik would make good parents. Erik would be a control freak but still good." Charles said heading towards the checkout. He could sense Raven's sudden uneasiness about the topic which made him curious. Had she and Erik already discussed something like that? They seemed pretty serious in his opinion. _

_The clerk rang up their items and the two headed back out into the cold. _

"_Well, what about you and Emily? She pretty much has the mothering thing down," Raven said hoping to turn the subject on him. _

_Charles tensed. "That probably won't happen," he mumbled wheeling ahead of her. _

_He paused at a jewelry store window and looked in at the display. _

_Raven came up next to him and knelt down to his height. She pulled her coat tight around her and looked at her brother. _

"_Get her something nice; maybe something to match that bracelet you got her for her birthday. And don't give up hope. I think this cure thing is just taking its damn time." She said smiling softly at him. _

_Charles smiled at her and brushed the snow out of her hair. "Come help me then." He said backing up to the entrance to the store. _

"_Good Afternoon!" the shopper keeper greeted them. "Ah, Mr. Xavier! I remember you. Is this that girl who that lovely bracelet for?"_

"_No, Andrew, this is my sister, Raven. However, I am in need of you help once again." Charles chuckled, wheeling over to the display cases._

'_He's a mutant as well' Charles said in Raven's mind. _

"_How about this one?" Andrew suggested pulling out a gorgeous necklace. _

"_Raven, what to you think?" Charles asked. She leaned in and smiled. _

"_It's perfect," Raven said smiling. _

"_Well, it's the match to the bracelet. Raven would you mind looking at that case over there just to make sure this is the one." Charles asked. _

_Raven nodded and walked over to the far case and peered in. Out of the corner of her eye she caught Charles pointing at something else in the case and saw Andrew reaching in. She let her hair fall down to shield her eyes, but she still kept her gaze on Charles. She couldn't quite tell want Andrew was holding; all she saw was Charles smile and nod._

_Andrew punched some numbers into the cash register and placed whatever Charles had looked at in a box. He handed the box to Charles and he slipped the box into the inside pocket of his jacket. _

"_Raven, you find anything?" he called out. _

"_Nope we should just go with that one," Raven answered walking back over to him. _

_Andrew rang that up the necklace and placed it in a box. _

"_Thank you Andrew," Charles said taking the box. Raven smiled at the man and then led Charles back outside. _

"_My goodness, it's getting dark out," Charles said looking up at the sky. "How about we grab some dinner? The kids will get along just fine without us." Charles suggested heading towards a crosswalk. _

_He spotted a small diner that closely resembled a pub. Raven smiled, realizing how hungry she really was. _

_The diner was warm inside and had a cozy feeling. _

_Charles spotted an empty table and rolled over to it; Raven trailing closely behind. _

"_Authentic pub food," Raven read off the menu as she sat down. "I think we can be pretty good judges of that." She said thinking back to their time at Oxford._

_Charles laughed as he scanned the menu. The two ordered ended up ordering fish and chips and opted to stick to soda instead of alcohol._

"_So what else did you buy?" Raven asked munching on her fries. _

"_I have no clue what you are talking about," Charles replied taking a bite of his fish._

"_I'm not stupid Charles that bill was much higher then what the necklace cost. What else did you get?" she urged leaning towards him, her elbows resting on the table. _

_Charles sighed, "You can't tell anyone." _

"_Like I would,"_

"_Raven," he said in a warning tone. _

"_Alright, geez, calm down," she said rolling her eyes. _

_Charles reached into his coat and pulled out the box. It was a small velvet box that Raven recognized the shape of immediately._

"_You didn't?" she gasped leaning closer._

"_I did. Now I'm not saying I'm doing this right away got it?" Charles asked slipping the ring box back into his coat. _

"_Oh, come on! Proposing on Christmas is so romantic!" Raven whined. _

"_We have only been dating for a month, Raven," Charles laughed._

"_But you have known each other for a year," she answered in a matter-of-fact like tone. "You probably know more about her because of your mutation then you know about me!"_

"_Raven," Charles laughed. He motioned for the waitress to bring the bill, and then turned back to her. "Please, just keep it quiet."_

"_I will, trust me big brother. I've got this." Raven said smiling slyly. _


	20. Chapter 20: The Past

_a/n: hehe another great day as a senior :) so in my joy i give you another chapter..._

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><p><em>Chapter 20: The Past<em>

_The two drove home in silence. Raven couldn't help but feel extremely giddy. _

_Her brother was going to propose. She didn't know when he would, but she knew he was going to. She kept glancing sideways at Charles hoping to catch his eye. Charles, however, just continued to stare out the car window. _

"_We're here," Raven said unbuckling._

"_Looks like all the lights are out in the children's rooms. Let's get these inside, I've called Emily to come help." Charles said following her lead. _

_Raven now stood at the back of the car and began to pull out Charles's wheelchair. _

"_I see you two have finally found your way home," Emily said as she approached her pulling her robe tight. She peered into the trunk and chuckled, "You two and the entire shopping center."_

"_Charles was having fun. I couldn't deny him," Raven said simply as she snapped open the chair. _

"_I've got it," Emily said taking it away from her and pushing it towards Charles's side of the car. _

_Charles opened the door and leaned out. "Ah, my favorite mode of transportation," he chuckled. He slid out and onto the chair smiling up at Emily. _

"_You know it," she chuckled bending down and kissing him on the cheek. _

"_Here you can take these, Charles," Raven said placing bags onto his lap. Charles laughed and began wheeling towards the door. _

_Between Emily and Raven, the two managed to gather the rest of the bags and trudge up to the house. _

"_We can put them in my room," Charles said in the hallway. The two girls nodded and followed him. They piled the bags up in the corner opposite of the chest board. _

"_Thank you Raven, I had a wonderful time." Charles said reaching up to hug his sister. _

_She embraced tightly, "You two don't have too much fun," She whispered in his ear. _

_Charles laughed, "Right back at you," he said raising and eyebrow. Raven blushed and headed out the door. _

_Emily stood at the end of the bed with her hands on her hips. Her robe hung loosely on her body revealing her night clothes. She still wore Charles's old college shirts but she had gained some more feminine sleep pants. All Charles could think about was how beautiful she looked in the simplest things._

"_You should get into something more comfortable, then we can start wrapping these." She said motioning to the mound of bags. _

"_Care to help me?" Charles asked in a flirtatious tone. _

"_With wrapping the presents, of course," Emily replied rolling her eyes at him._

"_You know what I meant," Charles laughed as he shed his coat. She took the garment from him and hung it up on the back of the chair. _

_Emily grabbed the pair of sweat pants that lay by the bed and brought them back over to him. _

"_You're a big boy. I'm sure you know how to dress yourself." She said throwing the pants at him and crossing to the closet. "Wrapping paper is in here, right?" she asked opening the door. _

"_Yes, dear," Charles said in a mocking tone as he pulled off his shoes. Next he pulled off his pants and replaced them with the sweat pants. He was started unbuttoning his shirt and let it hang open as he rolled over to help Emily with the paper. _

"_Hand me a roll," he said holding out his hand as he watched her juggle the multiple rolls. _

"_Thanks," she sighed in relief. She threw the rest onto the bed and looked down at Charles. She blushed as she stared at his chest. He still had on an undershirt underneath his collared shirt, but it was a more tailored shirt. _

"_I may never get use to that sight," Emily murmured. Charles laughed and rolled over to the gifts. _

"_Let's get started. We can wrap them on the bed," Charles said grabbing three bags full. _

_Emily took the bags from Charles and dropped them on the bed. He rolled over to his typical side of the bed and hoisted himself up. Emily hopped up next to him in one swift movement. She pulled one bag close to her and peered inside. _

"_I'm assuming this one is for Iris," she said pulling out the chef outfit. Charles laughed and wrapped his arms around her waist pulling her back towards him. He buried his face in her hair and inhaled deeply. _

"_Have I ever told you, I love the smell of your shampoo?" Charles murmured._

_Emily laughed and rolled around to where she was laying facing him on his chest. _

"_Yes, you have. We really need to wrap these presents," she giggled, sliding up to kiss him. Charles kissed her back deeply, holding her closely. _

_Emily broke away and laid her head down on his chest. "Perhaps, we can wait till tomorrow." She mumbled. She sat up and set the bag down on the floor. She crawled back up to Charles and pulled the covers up over the both of them. _

_Charles held her close to him, gently kissing the top of her head. _

"_What do you think about children?" he whispered against her hair. _

_Emily laughed, "I believe they are great. They have been the may source of my company for many years."_

"_Okay let me rephrase that question. What do you think about having children?"_

_Emily sighed and nuzzled his chest, "I talked to you about that Charles. I can't."_

"_I wish you would elaborate more." He mumbled in return. _

"_Not now. Alright?" She murmured, slowly closing her eyes._

"_Alright," he agreed closing his eyes as well, letting sleep take the both of them._

_Emily sat bolt up. She was breathing deeply and her face was covered in a thin coat of sweat. She looked over at Charles and saw he was still asleep. _

_She ran a shaky hand through her hair before slowly crawling out of bed. She quietly closed the door behind her and crept down the hall. She noticed that the light into the kitchen was on. _

_Out of curiosity she followed the light. Emily jumped slightly as she saw Erik sitting at the counter. _

"_Little early for you to be up," he said taking a bite of the apple he held in his hand. _

"_Its 3 o' clock in the morning, what are you doing up?" she said turning the conversation back on him._

_She sat down next to him and grabbed an apple from the bowl in front of her. _

"_I finally recognized you," Erik said looking at her intently. _

"_Excuse me?" _

"_When you were first captured, did a man by the name of Sebastian Shaw see you?" Erik asked taking another bite._

_Emily froze, "Why do you know that name?" she hissed. _

_Erik's expression softened when he saw her reaction. "Would it comfort you to know he is dead?" Erik asked._

"_Yes, it would," Emily whispered her eyes tearing up._

"_I saw you briefly, when I was hunting Shaw. He put you in that facility when he deemed you unworthy to be his telepath." Erik whispered._

"_He did much more than just put me in there," Emily growled. _

"_I know; I have felt your pain." Erik replied quietly. _

"_I'm afraid you have seen much worse than I have." Emily whispered back nodding at him._

"_As I'm sure you have seen you have seen what I have endured, what living hell did he put you through?" Erik asked standing up. Emily followed him into the living room where she took the couch and he took an armchair. _

"_Much like your case, Shaw believed my gifts were controlled through anger and pain. I proved to him that I was much stronger than he thought. I fought him for two years," Emily explained. _

"_The nightmares are a pain aren't they?" Erik asked. "That's why you are up. Does Charles know?"_

"_No, he doesn't know. I have kept that part hidden from him." She said tapping her head._

"_I have found that talking about what happened to be extremely useful." Erik pressed._

"_I can't talk about it…but I can show you if you insist," Emily said a hint of pain in her voice._

_Erik got up and sat down next to her, "I truly believe that this will help."_

_Emily reached forward and pressed two fingers upon each side of his head. _

_**The corner of Shaw's mouth pulled up into a sinister smile that sent shivers down Emily's spine. **_

"_**You are a feisty one. However, I find that I have grown tired of your disobedience." Shaw taunted as he paced around the table she was strapped to. **_

_**Emily pulled on the restraints at her wrists and ankles. Shaw clicked his tongue and motioned for the straps to be tightened. She hissed as the leather cut into her skin.**_

"_**Now, I hope you will learn your lesson after today," he continued pulling up his mask and positioning a blinding light above her. He snapped on a pair of rubber gloves and stared down at her through his glasses.**_

"_**Let's have some fun, shall we? Scalpel, please," he said holding his hand out to the other man. **_

_**Shaw trailed his hand down her chest, his fingertips brushing the fabric of her dress. She sucked in a breath as he paused at her abdomen. He pulled the fabric up away from her body and cut away at it leaving her skin bare.**_

_**Never had she felt so exposed. He upper half may have been covered, but by the time Shaw had finished with his crude form of stripping her lower half, Emily felt the bile rise in her throat. **_

_**She watched him bring the scalpel closer to the pale flesh of her abdomen. **_

_**All she could feel was a searing pain spread throughout her body. She heard a scream, but barely registered that it was her own. Emily fought to stay conscious; fought to show him she wouldn't give in. But the blackness of her pain began to take her vision. **_

_**It became too much.**_

_Emily pulled her hands away from Erik's head and wiped away the tears that had silently fallen. _

"_May I see?" Erik asked softly._

_Emily pulled up her shirt and pulled down slightly on her pants to just above her underwear. She revealed a white scar that stretched nearly from hip to hip. She dropped her shirt and kept her head down._

"_He cut you?" Erik asked putting a hand on her knee._

"_More of along the lines of crude surgery," she said her voice just above a whisper._

"_What?" Erik asked in shock. _

"_Charles has asked me twice about what I think about having children. I have not had the heart to tell him the full story behind my answer," Emily explained._

"_When you say you can't have children, you literally mean you can't," Erik said slowly coming to the realization of the magnitude of what Shaw did. _

"_I have just enough of one ovary left to regulate my hormones. The other is completely gone. As for my uterus, Shaw went a little knife crazy on that," Emily said choking out a laugh. The laugh morphed into a sob._

_Erik pulled her into his arms and held her tight as she cried. _

"_I can't tell him, I just can't," she sobbed. _

_Erik stroked her hair, "I think I know Charles pretty well by now. He loves you very much and would not let anything such as this deter that love." He whispered._

"_I haven't the slightest clue of how to even tell him something like this," she said breathing deeply. _

"_I find it easier to just get straight to the point with Charles," Erik suggested. _

_Emily laughed and wiped the last of her tears away. Erik grabbed her shoulders and smiled at her. "Go on, I'd best do it soon." He said. _

_Emily hugged him and got up to leave. "Thank you, Erik."_

_She quietly walked back towards Charles's room. She paused at the door way and sighed. _

'_Where did you go?' Charles's projected out to her._

_She smiled and opened the door. She crawled back into bed with him and curled up next to his warm body. _

"_I had a nightmare, so I got up and found Erik awake." Emily replied._

"_He is typically up early. I just notice you were gone and I couldn't sleep." He murmured as he kissed the top of her head. _

"_I want to explain something to you," Emily said taking a deep breath._

"_Alright, I'm all ears," Charles said shifting slightly. _

"_When you asked me earlier how I felt about having children, I was not entirely truthful. In entire honestly, I would love to have children…especially with you. I have practically raised Iris and have always imagined having one of my own since I was young. When I told you I can't, it had nothing to do with you." Emily explained her eyes tearing up again. _

_Charles sat her up and pulled himself up to see her. He brushed some of her hair behind her ear, his eyes locking with hers. _

"_Are you okay?" he asked his voice full of concern. A few tears escaped her eyes as she blinked furiously to keep them away. _

"_I'm fine, but I wasn't. Erik and I have a little bit more in common then I had realized. All those times you told me about what happened with Erik on the beach, I chose to play dumb. I do know who Shaw is."_

"_What?" Charles asked his voice low. "How do you know him?"_

"_He's the one who took me originally. He is the reason I was in that facility with all the children. He is the reason I have this ugly scar." She said he voice shaking as she pulled up her shirt slightly. _

_Charles's eyes grew wide for a moment as his body tensed. His hand drifted to her abdomen. He brushed his finger tips across the scar, and then looked back up at her. _

"_Now, I don't regret holding him while Erik put that coin through his brain." Charles whispered his own eyes shining. _

"_Charles," Emily mumbled grabbing his hand. _

"_I must know. Is there no hope?" he asked. _

"_My tubes are not tied. The chances are in the single digits," she explained. _

"_Then there is hope. You told me not to give up. I won't if you won't," he murmured pulling against his chest. _

"_It's a deal. I glad you have some hope again, but may I ask where it suddenly came from?" she asked._

_Charles smiled as she looked up at him. A single tear fell down his cheek. _

"_I can feel your hand on my thigh." He whispered._


	21. Chapter 21: Christmas

_a/n: okay there is a wee bit of sex in this chapter. so i'm warning you guys now. This is personally one of my favorite chapters so enjoy._

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><p><em>Chapter 21: Christmas<em>

_Charles and Emily decided to keep the discovery of feeling in Charles's upper legs quiet. The two had managed to wrap all the presents before Christmas Eve had arrived. _

_The pile was mountainous under the tree. Every morning Iris would try and sneak into the living room to get a peek, however Erik was always standing guard. _

_Erik and Iris had grown close extremely quick. A whole different side of Erik came out when he was around the little girl. He softened up for her. _

_That evening Iris sat in Erik's lap by the fire with "The Night Before Christmas" opened up. Charles smiled as George and Christopher attempted to play chess with each other. Scott, Alex, Sean, and Hudson had formed a circle where they passed comic books around to each other. _

_Raven chatted happily with Emily on the couch as the two munched on the cookies the group had made earlier. Hank sat in an armchair reading his new book._

"_You know what's missing?" Raven said brushing the crumbs off her pants. "Music. Who has heard of Christmas without out any carols?" _

"_I can help there!" George called out excitedly. The little boy hopped up and scurried over to the piano that sat in the corner. _

_He pulled up the cover on the keys and closed his eyes. Suddenly a beautiful sound floated through out the room. Charles had to admit that it was a pretty funny sight seeing little George sitting at the large piano; it dwarfed him._

_The calm mood of the room turned lively as George continued to play. Iris had gotten up off of Erik's lap and pulled him up along with her. He flushed slightly as she grabbed both of his hands._

"_Dance with me Uncle Erik!" she giggled as she twirled around in a circle. Charles laughed as Erik swayed awkwardly._

_Raven got up and pulled Hank out of his chair. "Lighten up and have fun!" she laughed swinging their arms back and forth. Hank laughed as well and followed her actions._

_Emily strode over to Charles and sat down in his lap; she wiggled her bottom slightly causing him to sharply breathe in. _

"_Stop torturing me," he groaned only loud enough for her to hear. _

_Emily chuckled in response, "But it is so much fun."_

"_I thought we were taking this slow?" he asked wrapping his arms around her waist._

"_So I changed my mind," she replied smiling slyly. _

_Charles laughed and looked up at the clock on the mantel. _

"_I believe it's bed time for quiet a few of you," Charles called out. _

_George stopped playing, "Aw, Five more minutes?" he whined turning to face the group._

"_Five minutes will turn into thirty, it always does. Come on, off to bed." Charles explained, gently pushing Emily off his lap. _

_The kids sighed and started flowing out of the room and up the stairs. _

"_Presents in the morning!" Iris yelled happily as she skipped off. _

_Erik laughed, "She's enthusiastic."_

_Iris poked her head back in the door way, "Come on, Uncle Erik!" she said. _

"_You better go," Raven said pushing Erik towards the doorway. He took Iris's hand and followed her up the stairs. _

"_All of us need to go to bed. Tomorrow is going to be a big day." Alex sighed as he piled up his comic books. The three boys mumbled their good nights and trudged towards their room. _

"_See you two in the morning then," Raven said hugging Emily, then she bent down and kissed Charles on the cheek. She took her leave and left the two alone._

"_It is going to be a long day tomorrow." Emily said as she started pushing Charles towards what Charles now called "their" bedroom._

"_But it will be a fun day," Charles added as they rolled into the room. Charles took control of the chair and rolled over to his side of the bed. _

_Everyone had changed into their pyjamas much earlier so that was not an obstacle. Charles crawled up into bed and sank down into the covers. Emily crawled from the foot of the bed up along Charles's body. _

"_Why can't the fun start tonight?" she whispered in his ear, her hair forming a curtain around their heads. _

_Charles sighed as she practically lay down on top of him. He ran his hands through her hair and kissed her slowly, but gently on the lips. _

"_What exactly are you suggesting?" he murmured. _

"_I think you know what," she replied in between kissing his jaw. _

"_George really got to you tonight," Charles said rolling his head to the side. _

"_So is that a yes or no?" she breathed against his neck. _

"_Yes," Charles replied quietly. "However, I want to do this the proper way."_

_Emily looked up at him confused, "But…your back…"_

_Charles, with surprising speed, flipped the two of them over to where he was on top now. _

"_I believe I have gained some incredible arm strength recently so this should be no problem at all." He explained._

_Emily just smiled back up at him. In return Charles captured her lips in a passionate kiss. He could feel the sheets were wrapped around their lower halves already due to him flipping her over. Emily ran her hands up under his shirt, feeling the muscles he had gained from the wheelchair. _

"_I'm beginning to like that wheelchair more," she mumbled. _

_Charles chuckled and pulled the shirt off entirely. She sat up slightly and pulled her own off, throwing it to join his. _

_She blushed as Charles looked at her._

"_You're beautiful," he murmured against the warm skin of her neck. He trailed light kisses down her neck and on her chest. She closed her eyes and ran her hands through his hair, still unsure of what to do with her hands in the first place. _

_She could feel him smile against her skin as he went lower, opting to leave her bra on for the time being. Charles hooked his thumbs under the elastic of her sleep pants and glanced up at her. Emily nodded, signaling her permission. _

_He pulled her pants down past her ankles and threw them off the side of the bed to join the rest of the clothes. He then traveled back up her body and captured her lips once again. She sighed happily against his lips and pushed him away gently. _

_He raised his eyebrow questioningly. Emily smiled and slipped down under him. She placed her small hands on his hips, grabbing the waistband of his pants. She disposed of them quickly and then rejoined him. _

_Charles noticed that she was trembling slightly. _

"_We can stop," he said in a comforting voice. There was a little voice reminding him in the back of his head that this would be her first time. He had been with other women, but this time it felt different. _

_He wasn't just here for sex. He would wait forever for her if he had too. _

"_No, no, I don't want to stop," she said quickly. _

_He laughed and looked down at her happily. She sat up and pecked him on the lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. _

_Charles threaded his arms under her and pulled her into a deep kiss. Their tongues battled for dominance over the other, Charles winning out in the end. _

_Emily broke away gasping for air; collapsing back against he pillows. The light in the room had dimmed significantly as the fire began to dwindle. _

_Emily felt a wave of courage brush over her for the moment. She reached around behind her and unhooked her bra, shrugging off the straps in the process. She dropped it off the side of the bed and then quickly covered herself back up, the courage leaving her. _

_Charles sighed and pulled her arms away gently. _

"_You don't need to be so self conscious about your body. You're amazing," he whispered kissing her sweetly. _

_He kissed the top of each breast and ran his hands along her sides. He marveled at the how soft her skin was. He finally reached the top of her underwear and paused. _

_Charles looked up at her and she smiled back. She saw him glance down at her scar causing her to suck in slightly._

_He bent down and kissed every inch of the scar, washing away her doubt. He gently discarded her underwear then made his way back up her body, leaving a trail of kisses in his wake. Once he lay flush with her body he found he hands at his hips again. _

_She hesitated as she felt him pressed against her. Out of curiosity, she rolled her hips against his earning a groan from him. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply trying to regain his composure. _

_Emily smiled wickedly, realizing she had the upper hand. She innocently brushed her hand across the bulge in his underwear. _

"_Emily," he moaned, his head lolling forward._

_She cautiously removed his underwear and gasped quietly. _

_Charles looked at her, his blue eyes locking with her green. _

"_I love you, Charles," she whispered holding his head in her hands. _

"_I love you too, Emily," he murmured as he kissed her._

"_Go slow," she whispered against his lips as she closed her eyes._

_Charles kissed her deeply and slowly entered her. Emily gasped at the feeling of being stretched to accommodate his size. It was a strange feeling. _

_She whimpered as he hit her barrier. She nodded slightly telling him to continue._

_He pushed in quickly causing her to cry out. Charles quickly covered her mouth with his. _

"_I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," he whispered brushing away the tears that had fallen down her cheeks. _

"_Just wait, okay?" she whimpered._

_He held her continuing to mumble an apology in her ear. After a few minutes, Emily nodded against his chest, "Go on."_

_Charles moved slowly at first, still acknowledging her discomfort. The discomfort, however, morphed into pleasure for Emily. The two found their rhythm quickly. _

_Gasps were replaced with moans as they raced to finish. Emily clawed at his back trying to get closer to him._

_It wasn't long before she saw white stars before her eyes as she clenched around Charles. She threw he head back in pleasure, her mouth open in a silent scream._

_Charles buried his head in her shoulder as he followed her over the cliff. He kept his arms wrapped around her, pulling her on top of him as he collapsed on the bed. _

_Emily lay against his chest listening to his heart race. She didn't care about the thin sheen of sweat that covered her and Charles's bodies. She felt at home; she felt safe wrapped in his arms. _

_Charles glanced over at the clock and smiled. The clock read 12:00am. He brushed a few stray hairs out of Emily's eyes then rubbed soothing circles on her back. He noticed that her breathing had calmed significantly and her eyes were now closed._

"_Merry Christmas, Emily," Charles said kissing the top of her head._

"_Merry Christmas, Charles," Emily mumbled back, before nuzzling against his chest and letting sleep wash over her. _

* * *

><p>"<em>Presents!" Iris's voice rang out through the house the next morning.<em>

_Charles smiled to himself and rolled over to see Emily sleeping peacefully. Both had pulled on underwear sometime in the middle of the night. He had opted to pulled his pants back and she had put her shirt back on. _

_Carefully he rolled to the other side of the bed and reached for his shirt. He sat up and finished dressing._

"_Come on, guys! Get up!" Iris yelled. Charles chuckled and slid out of bed to go find the little girl. He found her sitting by the tree shifting through the boxes excitedly. She already had a good pile going. _

"_Go on, you can open them," Charles said beaming from the doorway. _

_Iris looked up her eyes widening. Her face broke out into an even bigger smile. _

"_Charles?" came a whisper from behind him. He turned to find Emily standing back her hands covering her mouth. He smiled at her tangled hair and disheveled look. _

"_What? She has plenty to open; there will be some left by the time the boys get up." He chuckled._

"_No, it's not that." Emily said her voice cracking. "Charles, you're standing," she choked._

_His face paled and he looked down. He hadn't even noticed that he was. Charles poked his leg and laughed as he felt the jab. He looked back up at Emily, who was openly crying now. _

_She crossed the distance between them and kissed him deeply. He felt his own tears fall onto his cheeks as he kissed her back. He felt her facial expression change as she pulled back. _

_Emily held him at arms length. "Do you feel stable? Any pain?" she asked her face serious. _

"_No, no pain. I feel…normal," he laughed kissing her again. Charles noticed that he was only about four inches taller than her. "You're tall," he murmured._

"_You're short," she replied giggling. _

"_Merry Christmas," he said laughing. Emily returned the laugh and let go of him. His eyes lit up as an idea came to his mind. He walked back into to the living room and looked down at Iris._

_She grinned up at him and pushed her presents away as she stood up. She wrapped her small arms around his legs and squeezed. _

"_I didn't get the best gift." She said letting go. "You did, Daddy."_

_Charles laughed and picked her up for the first time. She wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to him. _

_He inhaled the sweet smell of her watermelon shampoo and held her body close to his. He didn't care that the others had started filtering into the room; each stopping and staring. _

_All he cared about was that he could stand and hold the little girl that he considered his daughter. He felt human again; he felt like a leader. _

_Charles shifted Iris onto his hip and looked back at Emily, who stood in the doorway. Iris laid her head down on Charles's shoulder as he walked over to Emily. _

_He saw fresh tears begin to collect in her eyes as he took her hand and pulled her close. _

_As he stood there with Iris on his hip and Emily leaning against his chest, he finally felt healed._


	22. Chapter 22: Miracles

_A/N: Okay here my little warning for this chapter. Raven and Erik's behavior may seem really sudden and out of character, but just trust me. Everything will work out perfectly. :) Please don't forget to review!_

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><p><em>Chapter 23: Miracles<em>

_Erik and Charles stood out by the stone fence looking out towards the famous satellite dish. Erik was still in complete shock that Charles was standing. _

_Charles, on the other hand, felt more relaxed than he had been in a long time. It was an amazing feeling. However, Emily and Hank were full of worry. They had been watching him like a hawk since that morning as if they were waiting for him to just suddenly collapse. _

_At about mid-afternoon, Charles had finally managed to pull Erik away from all the children and Raven. He had deeply missed their long conversations. This conversation wasn't actually like their old ones. _

_Erik had brought up the subject of women (more specifically their women), earning a deep blush from Charles. _

"_So what did you get Emily for Christmas?" Erik asked drawing circles with his gloved hand on the snow covered rail. _

"_What did you get Raven?" Charles asked raising an eyebrow. _

_Erik snorted and rolled his eyes, "I asked first."_

"_She wanted some clothes of her own. I got her some sweaters and Raven helped with the pants." Charles replied._

"_That's all?" Erik asked surprised._

"_and I got her a necklace to match the bracelet I got her for her birthday." Charles continued avoiding Erik's gaze._

_Erik smirked, "How very sweet of you."_

_Charles laughed, "She's very hard to shop for, you know."_

"_Raven is as well. The hardest part is just getting out with out her there," Erik sighed._

"_She is actually simple. She likes jackets, long jackets in particular." Charles said._

"_Yeah she has a closet full I believe," Erik replied._

_Charles looked over at his friend. Erik seemed to have relaxed since he had come back to the mansion. It made Charles happy to know this, but at the same time he knew that he would not stay forever._

"_How serious are you and my sister?" Charles asked curiously._

"_Pretty serious," Erik replied._

"_As in?" Charles pressed on._

_Erik sighed and looked down at his hands. "Charles, please don't hit me."_

"_The only thing that would cause me to hit you would be if you had hurt her. I see no signs of that so no hitting shall take place." Charles replied amused._

_Erik laughed a little then his face dropped again. "I think she's pregnant."_

_Charles stopped and let Erik's words sink in. "and what if she is?" he asked after a few minutes of silence._

"_I don't know, charles. It's now like I planned this to happen. I may just be paranoid and she may not be at all." Erik exclaimed._

"_but what if she is?" charles repeated more firmly._

"_Then I would be there for her no matter what. I do like children. Besides it wouldn't be the first time I have become a father, remember?" Erik said looking up._

_Charles did remember. He remembered Erik telling him about his wife and daughter. He remembered Erik telling him how he had lost both of them as well. _

"_From what I have seen from your memories, you are a great father. I have told this already, but I trust you with Raven. I know she would be in good hands." Charles said laying his hand on Erik's shoulder._

_Erik looked at Charles and smiled. "You're back to your old self, my friend."_

'_It's good to be back," Charles replied smiling. _

* * *

><p><em>Emily sat on the couch with her legs tucked up under her. Raven sat next to her with Iris in her lap. The two had just watched Alex, Sean, Scott, Hudson, Christopher, Hank, and George run out of the room with the new baseball set in hand. They didn't really think that the boys cared that there was snow on the ground.<em>

_Iris was busy flipping excitedly through a huge book about animals. She slid off Raven's lap and crawled towards her multiple new dolls. Emily smiled, it was an amazing sight to see Iris this happy. _

"_Emily?" Raven asked quietly._

"_Hmm? What's up?" Emily asked turning her attention to the blue girl next to her. _

"_How long do you think Erik and Charles are going to stay out there?" Raven asked shifting her position._

"_Well, not much longer, if they don't get sucked into the boys' game," Emily replied laughing a little._

"_Yeah, you're probably right. It's amazing that the cure is working, especially on Christmas," Raven continued._

"_I know, right?" Emily laughed, "Raven, what do you want to tell me?"_

_Raven's eyes widened, "What makes you think I wanted to tell you something?" she asked nervously._

"_Telepath, remember? I can tell. It's okay, I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to." Emily replied placing a hand on Raven's knee. _

_Raven sighed, "I think I'm pregnant." She said quietly._

_Emily took a deep breath, "Oh?"_

"_I've been sick almost every morning for the last month. I've missed my period twice, but I thought it was because of all the stress after the beach and everything. Now, I don't know." Raven explained pulling her knees close to her chest._

"_Do you feel pregnant? I mean, well you know what I mean," Emily replied._

_Raven glanced over at Iris, then back at Emily. "In a way, I guess." She said in a small voice._

"_I think Hank would be able to tell you. He has all this fancy medical equipment in the lab. I'm sure you would prefer it to going to a clinic." Emily suggested. _

_Raven relaxed a little, "I'm more worried about Erik."_

_Emily smiled; she reached out mentally for Charles._

'_Yes, my dear?' he responded in a happy tone. _

'_I'm assuming Erik is talking to you about the same thing Raven is talking to me about,' Emily said._

'_The idea of Raven being pregnant? Yes, he is. Why do you ask?'_

'_Raven is worried about Erik,' Emily explained._

_Charles chuckled, 'Erik is worried about Raven, but he is all in if she is.'_

'_Thank you, Charles,' she replied._

'_No problem. Once you're finished up with Raven tell her to meet Erik in the lab and meet me in our room. I still have a present for you.' Charles said._

"_Emily? You okay?" Raven asked once the conversation ended. _

"_I'm fine, I was just talking to Charles. Erik is in if you are," she said smiling brightly. "Just meet him in the lab in a bit, alright?"_

_Raven nodded, "Okay, sounds good. Thanks Emily."_

_Raven got up and picked up little Iris. She exited the room with the girl on her hip, leaving Emily to herself. She smiled and slid off the couch onto the floor. _

_She pulled the closest surviving gift bag towards her and began to pile Iris's toys that would be later taken up to her room. She felt a small tug in her mind. _

'_Are you coming or not?' Charles teased. _

_Emily chuckled as she stood up, 'Someone is impatient.' _

_She made her way down the hall towards her room. She paused in the doorway and saw Charles sitting at the foot of the bed. He wore a lopsided grin and held a gift bag in his hand. _

"_And I thought I was the slow one," he said patting the spot next to him. _

_Emily rolled her eyes and strode over to him and sat down. _

"_Here's the first one." Charles said handing her the bag then leaning back on hands. _

_Emily couldn't help but stare at him for a moment. He looked incredibly sexy. His hair was still slightly wet and tousled from the falling snow outside. His eyes were shining with joy and his facial expression showed some amusement. _

_She rolled her eyes again and turned her attention to the bag. After pulling out the tissue paper, she found what looked like clothing at the bottom. The fabric felt silky against her fingertips as she grasped the item. Emily pulled it out and set the bag aside, then held it up. Her eyes widen slightly. She looked back at Charles questioningly._

"_Do you like it?" He asked, a smiling playing at his lips. _

"_It's a nightgown… a very girly nightgown." She said her own smile returning. _

"_A very sexy nightgown," he chuckled sitting back up. _

"_I like it," Emily replied. _

_Charles leaned forward and pecked her on the cheek. "I'm glad. Now the second one is not exactly wrapped."_

"_Charles Xavier, I told you not to get me anything. Now I feel bad that I didn't get you much." Emily said._

"_You'll like it, trust me." He said. "Now close your eyes."_

_Emily huffed and obliged. She felt the bed rise next to her. She knitted her eyebrows together in confusion. _

"_I'm still here." Charles said._

"_Alright," Emily replied. _

"_Emily, you are the hardest woman I have ever known to shop for. I found this and I was going to wait, but after this morning. I got up and walked for the first time in months. You believed in me, you gave me hope. And I don't want to let that go. I want you to be with me for the rest of my life. You can open your eyes." Charles said his voice thick with emotion. _

_Slowly, Emily opened her eyes and took in the sight in front of her. Charles was down on one knee before her. His eyes were shining with unshed tears and in his hand was a small velvet box. _

_She gasped and brought a shaky hand up to cover her mouth. "Charles," she choked. _

"_I love you so much. Will you marry me?" he asked opening the box with his own shaking hands. _

_Emily slid off the bed to where she was kneeling in front of Charles at his height. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him lightly on the lips._

"_Yes," she whispered as a few tears escaped her eyes. _

"_Yes?" he asked._

"_Yes, Charles," she said again. _

_Charles choked out a laugh as his own tears began to fall. He took the ring out of the box and slid into her finger. He pulled her up as he stood and wrapped his arms around her tightly. He captured her lips in a passionate kiss, pouring every emotion he felt into her. _

_Emily broke away and smiled lovingly at him. _

"_They're waiting in the lab," she said quietly._

_Charles backed them up to the edge of the bed and collapsed onto it, pulling her with him. _

"_They can wait," he whispered before capturing her lips once more._

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><p><em>AN: I just love a happy Charles... :)_


	23. Chapter 23: A Present for Erik

_A/N: I can't count how many times that I have watched First Class on dvd... :) So enjoy my lovely chapter and I shall return to my lovely TV screen with Charles Xavier on it :)_

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><p><em>Chapter 23: A Present for Erik<em>

_Erik couldn't stop pacing. _

_Ever since Charles had told him to meet Raven in the lab, he hadn't been able to sit still. His mind was running at a hundred miles per hour and showed no signs of slowing. _

_What if Raven didn't want any of this? Had he taken advantage of her? _

_This thought caused Erik to stop for a moment. He felt his stomach bottom out and the bile begin to rise. _Had_ he taken advantage of her? Was he really the monster Shaw had created? _

_Erik gripped the steel table in front of him until his knuckles turned white. If he had hurt Raven, he wasn't going to be able to live with himself. Charles would most certainly not let him forget it either. He let out a low growl of frustration and grabbed the nearest object (which happened to be a glass beaker) and flung it across the room, causing it to shatter against the wall._

"_Erik?" Raven said in a small voice. _

_His head shot up and turned to see where she was. Raven stood in the doorway with her arms wrapped around herself. She looked frightened. _

_Cautiously, she began to walk towards him, her eyes still looking in the direction in which he had thrown the beaker. _

"_Are you okay?" she asked touching his shoulder gently. _

_Erik pulled away from her. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. _

"_Did I hurt you?" he asked in a low tone._

"_Just now, no," she answered back._

"_I meant before. When we were together…did I hurt you?"_

_Raven paused to take in what he was asking her. She could visibly see his shoulders tense up. There was a strange humming noise in the room, which she knew he was causing. _

"_No, Erik. You didn't hurt me. You never have," she answered. She grabbed his arm and pulled him to where he was facing her again. "Hey, look at me," she urged sweetly. She brushed the side of his face softly with her fingertips hoping he would open his eyes. _

_Slowly, he did and his steely gaze met her yellow. _

"_I never want to hurt you," he whispered allowing his arms to finally touch hers._

"_I know, I know." She assured him as she pulled him towards her. _

_Their lips met briefly, but the simple gesture was enough for the two. _

_Erik glanced behind Raven and saw Charles and Hank enter the lab. _

"_Ah! Good, I told you they would be here," Charles exclaimed. He looked at Erik then glanced to where there was a pile of glass on the floor. _

"_Hank, would you mind running some blood work for Raven for me? I forgot about this mess I made this morning in here. I'll just clean it up while you get the sample." Charles continued, eyeing Erik. _

"_Why Charles, you shouldn't over work yourself. I've got this." Erik said in a smooth tone as he made his way towards the broom. _

_Hank, however, was already busying himself with a syringe for the sample, so he didn't really register the conversation. _

_Erik crossed his arms across his chest and stood next to Charles. _

'_Are you alright, my friend?' Charles projected towards Erik._

'_Yes, I am for now.' He replied grabbing the broom. He busied himself with sweeping up the glass shards while Charles watched over Raven. _

"_It should only take a few hours for me to run the blood work." Hank said heading over to a complicated looking machine._

_Raven nodded and jumped down off of the table she was sitting on. Charles smiled at her warmly._

"_Well then you know where to find us." Erik said as he dumped the glass into the trash can. _

_Hank nodded and turned his attention back to the machine. The three headed out of the lab and rode silently up to the upper level of the house. _

_Erik paused once he got off and turned to Raven. "I told Alex I would help him practice today. I'll see you later, all right?" he said touching her arm._

"_Yeah, sure." She replied smiling. He returned the smile and began to head down the hall. Raven turned to Charles._

"_What are you going to do?" she asked._

_Charles flushed a deep red and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Oh, nothing really."_

"_You're a really bad liar, Charles," Raven said placing her hands on her hips. _

_Charles stared at his feet trying to avoid her gaze. "I asked her," he mumbled still looking down. _

_It took Raven a minute to realize what he was talking about. But when she did, her eyes widened significantly._

"_What did she say?" she asked in a forced whisper._

_He blushed even darker (if that was possible), "What do you think?" he said glancing up at her briefly. _

_Raven abruptly threw her arms around Charles and squeezed him tightly. _

"_I am so happy for you! Does Erik know?" she gushed excitedly. _

"_No, not yet. And please let me tell him," Charles said hugging his sister back. _

"_Alright. Oh! This is just so exciting! Mr. I'm-never-getting-married found someone at last." Raven said._

_Charles chuckled, "Thanks a lot, Raven."_

"_No problem. Hey, I'm going to go check on the boys and possibly get dinner started. Any special Christmas requests?" she asked._

"_Make the kids favorite." He replied with a grin._

"_Hot dogs and macaroni and cheese? For Christmas?" she asked incredulously._

"_It's their day." He said._

"_Alright, you're the boss. I'll see you at dinner then." Raven said turning to walk away._

_Charles smiled as he watched her go. He felt a small tingle in the back of his mind and then felt a small hand grab the edge of his sweater, tugging gently. He looked down to find little Iris smiling up at him. _

"_Now can you draw with me?" she asked sweetly. _

_Charles laughed and scooped her up into his arms. He had only been standing for less then a day, but having the ability to do things like pick Iris up made him feel amazing. _

"_I believe I can," he said touching her nose with his fingertip causing her to giggle. He carried her down the hall and into the study where she kept all her drawing materials. Charles could remember the day when she asked him if she could store them there. She had said that it was so she could keep him company when he read his books, which it was hard to say no to the comment. _

_He set her down and watched her stride over to the cabinet and pull out the supplies. She neatly laid them out across the coffee table and situated herself between the table and the couch. Charles joined her happily, but took his place on the couch. _

_He watched the little five year old scribble intently across the paper. She had talent for such a young girl. She understood shapes and colors and was beginning to grasp the concept of proportion. It was impressive. _

_Charles had been so glued to watching Iris that he hadn't noticed the other person that entered the room, until he felt the couch move. _

_Emily crawled up behind and placed her chin on his shoulder. He hadn't even realized that he had been sitting on the edge of the couch either. _

"_So this is why you left me all alone in your bed," she whispered in his ear. _

_Charles chuckled, "I told you I was meeting Raven and Erik in the lab. I had just finished when Iris found me."_

"_Whatever you say," she mocked slipping her arms around his middle. _

_Dinner had come and gone quickly. Soon all the children, including the older boys, were sluggishly heading to their rooms. Emily retired soon after all the children were gone; Raven following her lead. _

_Charles and Erik were left alone with their usual chess board and drink. _

"_Not a bad day, if I may say so myself." Charles said moving his pawn. _

_Erik scoffed, "Not a bad day? You're walking my friend. I wouldn't call that a bad day either."_

"_Yes, well, that was not exactly what I was referring to." Charles replied. _

"_Oh?" Erik asked before he took a sip of his drink. _

"_Iris said that I got the best present today, but I disagree. You did." Charles said looking at his friend intently._

"_Me? I got a few sweaters, a new book, and some candy." Erik said moving his knight forward. _

_Charles chuckled, "No, you get the gift of life, my friend."_

_Erik paused and looked at him slightly confused. Charles took a sip of his drink and smiled. _

"_Hank told me Raven's results. She is pregnant." He said._

"_Did he say how far along?" Erik asked leaning back in his chair. _

"_No he can't tell that from blood work. She'll have to have an ultrasound for that," Charles explained. "But you'll be glad to know she's very healthy. You've taken good care of her."_

_Erik smiled slightly, but then frowned again. _

"_Do you really think I can do this?" he asked seriously. _

_Charles took a deep breath, "I do. You are a good person, Erik. You have my complete trust."_

_This caused Erik's smile to return. "Thank you."_

_Erik moved his pawn to take one of Charles's and then looked back up. "Did Emily enjoy her gifts?" he asked slyly. _

_Charles looked at him directly in the eye and smiled. "I asked her to marry me, Erik."_

_Erik was caught off guard by this reply. He paused hesitantly_

"_It's alright, she said yes." Charles laughed._

_Erik sighed, "Well then congratulations!"_

"_Thank you." Charles replied. _

_The two sat in silence for awhile. _

"_It's kind of crazy, don't you think?" Erik asked breaking the quiet._

"_What?"_

"_Just last year, I was an angry man set on revenge and you were…well…you. Now look at us. I'm going to be a father and you're getting married." Erik explained._

_Charles just laughed and raised his glass up in a little toast. "Merry Christmas my friend." _


	24. Chapter 24: New Year's

_A/N: short little chapter :) please review_

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><p><em>Chapter 25: New Year's<em>

_Christmas had put the entire house in a good mood. All the kids were happily entertained with their new toys, which pleased Charles to no end. _

_Even Erik was in good spirits. _

_Before they knew it, New Year's had arrived._

_Raven had taken to busying herself with plans for what she was calling a "groovy little party". Emily happily assisted in the preparations. _

_It had seemed that ever since Christmas, Emily found it impossible to get time with Charles. Everyone wanted something to do with him. The only time they found to themselves was at night when everyone was asleep._

_She was looking forward to the party, however. Raven had told her stories of Charles's previous partying adventures, which had spiked her interest. _

_She stood in the kitchen stirring that night's dinner as she listened to the radio rattle on about the events in Time Square. She could hear the kids laughing in the other room which brought a smile to her face. Emily felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist and a chin rest on her shoulder._

"_So now you do the cooking?" Charles asked._

_Emily giggled, "Raven was panicking about music for tonight so I offered to help."_

"_How kind of you." He said unwrapping his arms and walking over to the cabinet that held the plates. _

_Emily turned off the stove and watched him walk away. It was amazing to see him walk. It was such a simple action, but for him it was a miracle. He would have to have another shot eventually, but for now he showed no signs of discomfort. _

_Charles carried plates over to the table and began to set it quietly._

"_I have a question," he asked still placing plates._

_Emily transferred the pot of spaghetti to the table and went back to grab the loaf of bread. "Ok, shoot."_

"_Do you want a big wedding or something small? It's just been on my mind," Charles asked as he set the last plate down. He looked up at her and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. _

_Emily set down the bread and looked at him. "I'm not sure we can actually find someone who would marry two mutants now. Especially after the whole Cuba thing." She replied quietly. _

_Charles nodded, "You do have a good point. We wouldn't have to tell them we are mutants though."_

_Emily walked over to him and took his hand in hers, "If I'm going to marry you, Charles Xavier, I'm going to do it as a mutant. I don't want to hide."_

_Charles smiled at her and quickly pecked her on the lips. "And that is why I love you," he whispered. _

_The rest of the family slowly began to spill into the dinning room, each taking their typical seat. _

_Erik had taken to monitoring how much Raven ate now that her pregnancy was confirmed. Charles found it endearing, while Raven on the other hand found it obnoxious. _

"_So all of us decided that we kids are gonna have our own party tomorrow," Scott said as he cleared the table. _

"_Oh really?" Erik asked finishing off his water._

"_Yes sir! We actually want to be awake to enjoy the new year." Scott said smiling. _

"_Very well, I believe we can make that happen." Charles said. "You five don't stay up too late. I'm trusting that you will get them in bed, Scott."_

"_Yes sir, Professor," Scott said brightly as he herded Hudson, Christopher, and Iris out of the room. _

_Once the children were gone, Sean spoke up, "So what's the game plan?"_

"_Okay, I got one of the rooms down stairs all set up! There are drinks, alcoholic and non Erik, and I picked out some awesome songs." Raven gushed. _

"_When does all this start?" Charles asked. _

_Raven glanced at the clock on the wall, "In about an hour, that would make it 10 o'clock."_

"_Alright, sounds good. We'll all meet up then," Erik said getting up from the table. _

_Raven got up and followed. Emily glanced at Charles and smiled slyly. Hank cleared his throat. _

"_So I went into town the other day." He said slowly._

"_Oh?" Charles asked. _

"_Yeah, I wanted to do something for the two of you. I over heard you talking to Erik, Charles. You were worried about being able to have a wedding." Hank continued._

_Emily glanced sideways at Charles. Hank pulled nervously at the fur on his hands. _

"_So, I went and picked up a marriage form. I made up some sorry sob story about how you two wouldn't be able to make it up there to sign it." Hank explained._

"_You went into city hall?" Emily asked surprised._

"_Ok, fine. I convinced Alex to go with me and told him what to say. I stayed in the car." Hank said smiling nervously. _

"_Hank, I don't know what to say…" Charles said. _

_Hank pulled out a folded up form from his pocket. "Here you go. Do what you want with it." _

_Emily grabbed the form and smiled at Hank. "Thank you, Hank."_

"_I'll see you two later." Hank said excusing himself from the table. _

_Charles sighed, "Come with me." He got up and held out his hand for her to take. _

_She obliged and grabbed the form in her other hand. Charles led her back into their room and sat her down in one of the armchairs. He took the other chair. _

"_So what do you want to do?" he asked looking at her. _

_Emily looked at the table the sat next to the chairs and saw a stray pen. She smoothed the form out on her leg and scribbled her signature. She handed the form over to Charles as well as the pen. _

_Charles smiled brightly and signed his own name. Emily took the form back and got up. She spied a roll of tape lying where they had wrapped the presents. She tore off a strip and placed it at the top of the form. She walked over to the bed and crawled up onto the bed and knelt in front of the headboard, facing the wall. Just above the headboard she taped the form down and looked back at Charles. _

"_There you go. We are officially married." Emily declared sliding off the bed and walking towards him. _

_She crawled up onto his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. _

"_I guess it's a good thing I bought rings too." He murmured before pulling her into a passionate kiss. _

_Raven had been right. A party was a good idea. _

_Charles hadn't really seen Alex, Sean, and Hank actually act their own age. But that night, they most definitely did. _

_Alex and Sean kept trying to out do each other in almost everything. It didn't matter whether it was dancing or singing (which neither of them were good at), they found something to compete on. _

_Erik sat and laughed with Charles for most of the time while the girls danced with the boys. _

"_Oh, you are not going to sit there all night. Come on," Raven said swaying over to Erik. She pulled him up out of the chair and dragged him forward. _

_Charles laughed and took a sip of his drink. He watched Emily twirl with Sean. She looked so happy, so free. _

_She caught his gaze and let go of Sean and started towards Charles. He felt his face heat up as she sauntered over to him. His pants tightened a bit which caused him to shift uncomfortably. _

_Emily grabbed his drink out his hand and took a sip. She sat down straddling his lap. He let out an audible groan._

"_How do you drink this stuff?" she rasped giving him the drink back. _

"_Practice,' he mumbled trying not to think about her body pressed against his. _

"_Ah, got it." She whispered in his ear. She nibbled lightly on his earlobe._

"_You will be the death of me," he groaned. _

"_Don't worry, you only have about 5 minutes before its midnight and then we don't have to be here anymore." She murmured. _

_He kissed her deeply. All time seemed to disappear. Every nerve in his body was a live wire. It was an incredible feeling. _

"_Hey, get a room!" Erik called out. _

"_Five," Alex called out._

_Charles didn't care. He didn't want to let go of her. _

"_Four," _

_Emily pulled back for air and smiled against his lips._

"_Three,"_

"_Two," she whispered._

"_One," Charles whispered back. He kissed her again as the others called out "Happy New Year!"_

_It was a great feeling to be able to kiss the love of his life at midnight. It was a great feeling to be able to kiss his wife at midnight. _


	25. Chapter 25: A New Life Begins

_a/n: sorry for the slow update... high school is such a pain. enjoy this lovely chapter and don't forget to review! :)_

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><p><em>Chapter 25: A New Life Begins<em>

_January and February flew by in a blink of the eye. The snow that had once covered the ground had turned to slush. _

_All the children had been kept busy with their new toys, which pleased Charles to no end. _

_The boys had busied themselves with readying the school for the new students. Alex and Sean were finding their way in the world of carpentry by building bunk beds. The goal was to maximize the space. _

_Hank had decided to study some basic medical procedures since the rate of injury seemed to be increasing with the construction. Charles couldn't help but laugh at the facial expressions Hank would make as he read the text books. It wasn't like the books lacked in detail. _

_In the past months after the discovery of Raven's pregnancy, there had been quite a bit of discussion as to where she would have the baby. It was the possibility that Raven could accidently change back into her regular form at the hospital that worried Charles and Erik the most. The humans were still not exactly the most friendly towards mutants. _

_Hank had offered to look into delivery procedures while he was studying, but Raven had awkwardly changed the subject. _

_It was now the beginning of March so decisions were going have to be made soon._

_Charles had woken up relatively early that morning. He lay on his side with his head propped up on his arm. He loved to wake up early and watch Emily sleep. The nightmares of her past no longer plagued her; now she slept soundly through the night. She looked so beautiful laying there._

_Her hair was spread out across the pillow and she had the blanket balled up in her fist across her chest. The corners of her mouth were turned up slightly in what looked like a smile. It was all so peaceful. _

_Charles gently brushed a few strands of hair out of her face and leaned forward pressing his lips against hers. He felt her smile and kiss him back. He pulled back and grinned._

"_Good Morning," he whispered._

"_How often do you watch me sleep?" Emily asked opening her eyes. _

_Charles's face fell. He looked like a child who had just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. _

"_I…um…" he stammered._

_Emily laughed and rubbed the sleep out her eyes. "It's cute." She said sitting up. _

_Charles sat up as well. He watched Emily leave the bed and walk over to the window next to her side. _

"_Beautiful day," she said sarcastically. It was an overcast day and the sky threatened rain. _

"_And that is why we are staying in doors today," Charles said getting out of bed. He crossed over to his dresser and pulled out clothes to wear. _

_Emily did the same thing and began to strip out of her night clothes. Charles threw his clothes on the bed and walked over to her. _

_He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her shirtless body close._

"_Charles, I'm hungry," she whined as he kissed her neck. _

"_So am I," he mumbled against her kiss. _

_Emily giggled and whacked his arm playfully, "Not that kind of hungry!"_

_Charles laughed too, but stopped when he heard the bedroom door open. _

"_Hey, Professor, I was wondering if… OH MY GOD MY EYES ARE BURNING!" Sean exclaimed his hand flying up to cover his face. _

"_That is why you knock, Sean," Charles said mockingly._

"_I know that now! Jeez, I forgot what I was going to say. Ugh, I'm scarred for life." Sean continued as he backed out of the room. He pulled the door closed and left them alone._

"_See? We need to get dressed." Emily protested wiggling out of his arms. She finished changing as he changed too. _

_Together they exited the room and headed towards the kitchen. All the children sat at the table eating different kinds of cereal. They each acknowledged their presence and continued to eat. _

"_Hey! We are having a lazy breakfast this morning," Raven said from her spot at the counter. She was beaming at them. _

_Charles noticed that she had chosen to take her human form this morning. He grabbed himself a bowl and handed another to Emily. They ate in silence, except for Raven's happy humming as she washed the dishes the children brought her. Charles saw Emily subtly staring at Raven's baby bump. _

_This wasn't the first time Charles had caught her staring. He had seen her glance at Raven and her entire expression would change for just a second. But just as quickly as her expression would change, it would flicker right back to the original one. _

_Charles still was not entirely sure why she was acting the way she was, but he figured it had to do with something what Shaw had done to her. _

_Erik strolled into the kitchen and kissed Raven on the cheek. He wore a sweatshirt and sweatpants that were his typical workout attire. _

"_So are you going to help me with kids today?" Erik asked grabbing an apple off the counter. _

"_Yeah, of course." Charles replied. He got up and set his bowl in the sink. _

"_Great I have them in the Danger Room. You get to run the electronic half," Erik said kissing Raven one more time before leaving the room. _

"_You better follow," Emily said smiling. _

"_Be good," he said kissing her on the top of her head._

"_You know I will," she called after him. _

_Charles traveled down stairs to the practice room that had been dubbed the "Danger Room" by Alex._

_He walked into the control booth and sat down in the chair at the control panel. He looked into the room through the glass window in front of him and saw Erik, Alex, Sean, Hank, Scott, and Christopher. Erik looked like he was giving them a pep talk. _

_Charles chuckled and pressed the button to the microphone. "Are we ready?"_

_Erik turned around and grinned, "Go easy on us Charles."_

"_Of course, my friend." Charles replied. He entered the computer system and selected one of the easier scenarios Hank had designed to test them. _

_He watched the boys carefully. He wanted to be able to tell where they needed improvement. Surprisingly, things were going very well. _

_Erik had proven that he was quite the leader. He was firm, but encouraging. His control of his own mutation had also improved significantly. Erik had found that point between rage and serenity. _

_Alex and Sean worked together flawlessly. The two had a great dynamic. Hank had found his way into the mix and was good at adapting to what the others did._

_Scott and Christopher continued to impress Charles to no end. The two boys showed great maturity as well as strength for their age. Hank had invented special glasses that helped Scott adapt his energy blasts like his brother. Christopher had become increasingly adept at changing his form. He tended to favor bird forms mainly, which made his nickname, Talons, all more appropriate. _

_There was a part of Charles that wished he could be down there in the action as well. However, Emily and he had decided that it was better if he didn't push his luck with his legs. _

_A green light flashed on the control panel signaling that the boys had completed the exercise. _

"_Good job, guys. I want to try something different. Alex and Scott, I want you two to work together this time. Sean I want you to work with Chris. Erik and Hank, you two fit in where you are needed. Those sound good?" Charles suggested. _

"_You're the boss, Professor X," Erik called out. _

"_Get going, Magneto." Charles replied as he keyed in the next sequence._

* * *

><p><em>Emily sat with Raven, Iris, George, and Hudson in the living room. The rain that had threatened earlier had finally decided to fall. <em>

_The three children watched the T.V. contently. Raven layout on the couch flipping through one of the numerous baby catalogues that she had acquired. _

_Emily found herself looking at Raven's stomach. A lump formed in her throat. She didn't know what to say to her. Raven was five months pregnant. All Emily could think to say was the obvious. _

"_What does it feel like?" Emily blurted out. _

_Raven looked over at her and raised an eyebrow. "What does what feel like?" she asked._

"_Being pregnant? What does it feel like?" Emily asked quietly. She eyed the children then looked at Raven again. _

_Raven shifted to a sitting position and placed a hand on her swollen stomach. "Come here," she said patting the spot next to her with her other hand. Emily got up and sat down next to her. _

_Raven grabbed her hand and placed it on the side of her belly. She gently pressed Emily's fingertips into her side and smiled as she felt the baby shift. Emily's eyes widen as she felt the movement as well. _

_Raven giggled, "That was her foot." _

_Emily pulled her hand away, her fingertips tingling slightly. "That was strange."_

"_Yeah, it is pretty strange. But in a way its pretty amazing. She likes to roll around a lot, especially when Erik talks to her." Raven explained. _

"_Erik talks to her?" Emily asked slowly. _

"_Yes, every night and every morning. Don't tell him I told you that." She explained._

"_I won't. You think the baby is a girl?" Emily continued._

"_I guess. I mean it's just a feeling I have." Raven said._

_Emily smiled. _

_The smile didn't stay for long. She felt a strange feeling in the back of her mind. It made her uneasy. Raven noticed her changed in behavior. _

"_Are you alright?" she asked._

_Emily's brow furrowed as she got up and walked over to the bay window. It had gotten very windy, very fast. _

"_Raven, take the kids down stairs and ask Charles and Erik to come up here please." Emily said seriously. _

"_Alright, what's wrong?" Raven asked her voice shaking. _

_Emily looked back at the now frightened young woman. She forced a smile, "Nothing right now."_

_Raven nodded slowly and took gathered the three kids up. She led them out of the room quietly. _

_Emily turned back to the window and watched the wind pick up more. She felt Charles's and Erik's presences enter her mind._

_Charles stood next to her and grabbed her hand. "What's wrong?" he asked._

"_It got windy," she replied her face serious._

"_That happens during a storm, sweetheart." Charles said stepping in front of her. He rubbed her arms up and down soothingly. _

"_It got windy," Emily repeated, but slightly slower. Charles looked at her confused. He saw Erik tense up next them._

_The rain was coming down hard now and the wind was howling._

_Suddenly, the three heard a scream that carried out above the sound of the rain and wind. The scream didn't come from inside the house; it came from the outside. _

_Erik looked at Charles and then sprinted out of the house into the rain. Emily tensed and ran after Erik. Then it hit Charles. He could feel what was going on now. He ran out into the rain and found Erik and Emily standing at the end of the gravel walk way. _

_The rain cut through his clothes quickly and the wind caused the water to whip painfully across his skin._

_In front of them stood Emma Frost in her diamond form and Riptide, who was the source of the violent wind. _

_It wasn't these two mutants that had Charles's heart racing. It was the one behind them. Azazel stood silently with Iris in front of him. He was grasping her shoulders tightly and he had his tail drawn across her throat. _

"_She's just a child, Emma," Erik growled._

"_So now our fearless leader talks to us again!" Frost spat. "You leave us for the company of children!"_

"_She's one of us!" Erik yelled._

"_What can I say? You left and we got bored." Emma taunted. Charles started to bring his hand up to his temple. "Uh-uh, sweetie, remember you can't control me when I'm like this." Emma continued._

'_Charles, we have to do something,' Emily projected into his mind. _

'_I'm on it, don't worry.' He projected back. 'Erik, take down Frost. I'll get Azazel. Emily's got Riptide.'_

'_Alright,' Erik replied. _

'_Emily, can you handle Riptide?' Charles asked. _

'_Yes,' she replied back quickly. He could feel her anger in his own mind. Iris was her little girl. She was THEIR little girl. _

"_Your move Magneto," Emma hissed. _

_Everything after that happened so fast. _

_Erik launched himself forward and tackled Frost. Emily took the water from a nearby puddle and created a noose that wrapped around Riptide's neck. She yanked him down quickly and made to grab Iris. Charles couldn't get into Azazel's mind. Frost was blocking him. _

_He quickly turned his attention to Riptide who was reaching towards Emily's ankle. He froze the Latino man in a heart beat. _

_They had the upper hand; Erik, Emily and himself. But the feeling of relief was stripped away in one sickening move._

_Emily grabbed Iris's hand and wrapped Azazel's wrists behind his back with a rope of water. Her trick didn't last long. She lost her focus when she saw the look of terror on Iris's face. Azazel whipped around and vanished then reappeared behind her. She heard him chuckled in her ear before she felt a searing pain in her side. She smelled sulfur as he vanished again and then heard Charles yell. _

_Emily dropped Iris's hand as she fell to her knees clutching her side. Everything was blurring from the spreading pain. She registered Erik's yell as Azazel reappeared and took Emma; but then she couldn't focus. _

_Emily fell onto the opposite side of the pain and rolled onto her back and stared up into the rain. _

'_Yeah, beautiful day alright,' she thought before she blacked out. _


	26. Chapter 26: Healing

_A/N: Stupid exam week put me behind once again..._

_So I finally got a chance to update. _

_Btw... Congratulations to Michael Fassbender on getting the Scream Award for Best Male Breakout Performance!_

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><p><em>Chapter 26: Healing<em>

_Charles's heart stopped as he watched Emily fall to her knees. He began to let his control on Riptide slip as he lunged towards her; however it was Erik's voice that halted him. _

"_Charles, don't let him go! I've got her!" Erik yelled as he dropped down next to her. He pulled her up out of the mud and onto his lap. He could see the blood spreading on her shirt. Instinctively, he pressed his hand to the wound in hope to stop the bleeding. _

"_Don't you dare die," Erik whispered._

"_Emmy?" Iris called out, her voice shaking. She stood nearby pulling at her wet clothes. _

_Erik looked up at the frightened little girl. He blinked away the rain that still stung his eyes, trying to look at her clearly. _

"_She's going to be okay, Iris, I promise." He explained trying to keep his voice steady._

"_Erik, I can't hold him much longer," Charles choked out over the rain. The headache he got from controlling other people's minds was raging. He was loosing his focus. _

_Erik looked around wildly for some metal to use as a restraint for Riptide. He spotted a tie-down near one of the trees and summoned it to his hand. It was a simple rod of metal, but it would do. Erik gently set Emily back down, reluctant to remove the pressure from the wound. He heard he groan slightly, causing his heart to leap. _

_She was alive. _

"_Okay, Charles let's switch places. Do not let go of his mind till I say so," Erik instructed. _

_He trudged over to the immobile Riptide and began to quickly bend the metal around his wrists. He checked his work then called out to Charles that he could let go. _

_Charles dropped his control quickly and then ran to his wife. He dropped to his knees and looked at her frantically. He pushed her wet hair out of her face and gently slipped his arm under her shoulders. His eyes flickered to her blood soaked side as he placed his arm under her knees._

_He could hear Erik yelling at Riptide, but he didn't register what was being said. Carefully he stood up cradling Emily close to his chest._

_Charles felt a tug at his shirt tail. He saw Iris at his side looking up at him with watery eyes. _

"_Come on, baby girl. It's going to be okay," Charles said. He trudged up to the mansion as quickly as he could. _

_Iris pushed open the door to let him in, but then she stood out of his way. Charles paused in the entrance hall, wondering what to do next. His mind was running at a 100 miles per hour and showed no sign of slowing. It was so quiet that he could hear the water dripping of their bodies onto the floor. _

_He felt Emily stir in his arms. _

"_I've got you, don't worry." He whispered. He reached out with his mind to find Hank._

'_Hank, come quickly to the lab. Emily's hurt,' Charles choked. He could feel the panic rise in Hank's mind telling him that he had heard the message._

_Quickly, Charles headed towards the elevator and then towards the lab. Hank was already there hurrying to ready himself. _

"_Set her down here," Hank said motioning to the same table that Charles got his shots on. _

_Carefully, he laid her down on the cold metal table._

"_Charles," Emily groaned. Her eyes flickered open, but closed again._

"_It's going to be okay," Charles whispered grabbing her hand and squeezing it._

_Hank wheeled over a tray of instruments and pulled on some gloves. He picked up the scissors and began to cut away Emily's shirt around the wound. _

_Charles's stomach lurched as he saw the extent of her injury. It looked as if Azazel had stabbed her just left of her lip and then pulled diagonally. Her pale skin was torn apart jaggedly and was stained with her blood._

"_I don't feel safe using Hudson's blood on this. I'm just going to stitch her up okay?" Hank explained as he finished cleaning around the gash. _

_Charles nodded numbly. He couldn't focus. His hear was aching; it was a combination of pain and anger that coursed through his veins._

"_Charles, I hate to say this, but I need you leave. I can't do this with you watching." Hank explained quietly. _

_Charles opened his mouth to protest, but he closed it again as he understood. Families were not allowed to be in the room during real surgery; this was no different then that. _

"_I'll sedate her," Hank said picking up a needle. _

_Charles nodded and set Emily's hand down. He backed his way out of the room and out into the hallway. He pressed his back against the wall right outside of the lab and slid down to where he was sitting. He ran his shaky hands through his wet hair and let out a sob that echoed down the way. _

"_Charles! Oh my God, Charles!" Raven exclaimed. She kneeled down slowly next to him, her swollen stomach causing her some difficulty. She touched the side of his face gingerly and let her eyes wander to his blood stained shirt. _

"_Whose blood is this?" Raven asked quietly._

_This is what broke him. Charles sobbed violently and dropped his head into his hands. He couldn't form any words in between his gasps for air. _

_Raven pulled her brother against her chest and held him close. She rubbed soothing circles on his back hoping to calm his breathing. _

_Erik came in not long after Raven had arrived with an unconscious Riptide in tow. He pulled him into one of the holding cells and slammed the door angrily. Erik came and sat down next to Charles. He placed a hand on Charles's back and sat quietly._

_The three sat this way for what seemed like forever._

_Hank appeared and pulled off his gloves. The sound of the elastic gloves caused Charles to sit up. He stood up quickly and dusted off his pants even though it was pointless. _

"_She's going to be just fine. I did use a small amount of Hudson's blood to speed up the process to some degree." Hank explained. "I don't want to stress her out so, Charles you can go in."_

_Charles nodded and stepped around Hank into the lab. _

_Once Charles had left, Raven and Hank turned on Erik._

"_What the hell happened?" Raven exclaimed. "One second Iris is sitting in front of me, then the next she's gone. I've got her situated upstairs with the boys."_

"_Lovely Emma Frost thought she would have some fun. They were messing with Charles and me. I swear I'm going to kill Riptide. I'm going to kill him with my own two hands. They took a child. A child!" Erik hissed. _

"_We need a security system. We need to be able to monitor the grounds around the mansion. When more children get here it will be harder to stop these types of attacks." Hank said._

"_I agree completely. Charles is going to be busy for awhile with Emily so Hank, you and me will work on this." Erik explained. _

"_I have blue prints of the mansion. Come on, we'll talk." Hank said pulling Erik towards his own personal study. _

_Raven watched Erik and Hank walk away and then she turned to the lab door. She wanted to check on Charles. Quietly she slipped into the lab and stood away from her brother._

_Hank had moved Emily off the metal table to one of the recovery beds at the far end of the room. _

_Charles had pulled a chair up next to her bed and was holding her hand. He was using his other hand to gently stroke her face lovingly._

"_You never were one for following the rules," Charles said to Raven._

_Raven sighed and walked over to her brother. She grabbed another chair and sat down next to him. She looked at Emily and frowned. She placed a hand on her leg and sighed._

_Emily was very pale from the blood loss. Her chest was rising and falling slowly signaling that she was alive. Hank had apparently taken all precautions and had an oxygen tube across her nose providing a steady flow of air. Her hair was badly matted against her forehead and she had a blanket drawn up to her shoulders. _

_She had two I.V. lines, one in her arm and another in her hand. One line led to a clear bag with a clear fluid in it. This was most likely antibiotics to fight off any infection she may have gotten from being on the ground. The second line led to a bag with blood in it. _

"_You were never one for settling," Raven said breaking the silence._

_Charles chuckled, "Yeah."_

"_She's going to be okay," Raven said quietly. _

"_I know." He breathed. "It is hard to stand there and watch your loved one get hurt and there is nothing you can do to help. I felt like I couldn't breathe." He explained._

_Raven took a deep breath and let it out. "I know how that feels."_

_Charles looked up at her puzzled._

"_I watched you get shot on the beach and there was nothing I could do. Then you told me to leave you there. I felt as if my world was ending. I had to choose between the man I love and the man I call my brother. I couldn't breathe either." Raven explained._

_Charles felt tears prickle in his eyes, "I hope you never have to make that choice again."_

_Three days passed since the attack and the tension seemed to be easing. Emily was up and walking around slowly. _

_Charles refused to leave her side at any time._

* * *

><p><em>On the morning of the four day, Charles lay in his bed watching her lay next to him reading her book. She looked a lot better now. Her side was still very tender, but Hank had said that he could take the stitches out the next day thanks to Hudson's healing power.<em>

_Charles had helped her change the bandages multiple times despite her complaining. _

"_Do you enjoy watching me?" Emily asked still focused on her book. _

"_Yes I do. Is that a problem?" Charles replied smiling at her._

"_You are adorable," she said closing her book. She pushed back the covers and sat up. She winced and grabbed her side. Charles flinched and leaned towards her. _

"_I'm fine," she groaned as she got up. She pulled on the loose pants that belonged to Charles and then changed her shirt slowly. The action tended to pull on the stitches._

"_Are you getting the stitches out today?" Charles asked as he made the bed._

"_Yes, finally." She said giggling._

_Charles pecked her on the cheek, "Well get going then."_

_The two of them had gotten up earlier and had already eaten breakfast. Emily shuffled out of the door and into the elevator down to the lab. She found Hank leaning over one of his microscopes. _

"_Okay Hank. Take these lovely stitches out of me," Emily said hoisting herself up onto the examination table. _

_Hank chuckled and pushed himself away from the table he sat at. "Someone is enthusiastic."_

_He pulled on some gloves and grabbed a pair of small scissors. "Just lift up your shirt," Hank instructed. _

_Emily obliged, "Um, would this be easier if I lay down?"_

"_Probably," hank agreed. _

_He began to cut away the threads attempting not to pull. Once he finished that step he picked up a pair of tweezers. "This may hurt a bit," he warned as he started to pull the cut threads out. _

_She winced slightly, but the pain was bearable. "Okay I'm all done with that. You are officially stitches free." Hank said setting the tweezers down. "Just one more thing, I want to do an ultrasound to see if everything healed up good on the inside."_

"_Alright, you're the boss," Emily replied with a smile. _

_Hank pulled the ultrasound machine he had acquired after the news of Raven's pregnancy towards him. _

"_This may feel cold," he said as he squirted some of the gel onto her abdomen. He moved the wand around the healed wound. _

_He furrowed his brow as a strange details came into view. These details looked a lot like the newly formed scar tissue. Curiosity got the better of him and he ventured further to the left._

"_Emily? What is this?" he breathed._

"_You tell me," she replied in a tone that showed she already knew. _

"_It's a lot of scar tissue on your uterus. And from what I can tell you're missing an entire ovary." Hank said._

"_Only about a third of the other one is there," Emily explained._

"_What happened?" Hank asked turning off the machine and handing her a few tissues. _

"_That would be the work of Sebastian Shaw." She replied. _

_Hank's eyes got really wide. _

"_Yeah, he got a hold of me too." Emily said pulling her shirt down and her pants up a little. _

"_You do realize what that means. Your chances of getting pregnant are almost nonexistent and if you did get pregnant it would be very dangerous. Scar tissue is not made to support a baby." Hank explained. He stopped when he saw her eyes tear up. _

"_Emily, I'm sorry. I put that very bluntly. I shouldn't have…" he sighed. _

_She sniffled, "You're fine. Every time I have heard that diagnosis it becomes more real." She looked up at Hank and frowned. "Please don't tell Charles."_

"_But…" Hank started._

"_No, He doesn't need that type of news right now. I'll tell him the full extent when its time." Emily said quietly. _

_Charles came into the room and smiled at Emily._

"_Guess what? Stitches free!" Emily exclaimed._

"_That's good," Charles chuckled kissing her. "So my girl is good?" he asked Hank._

_Hank hesitated, "All good. She's all good."_

* * *

><p><em>AN: Okay I did research the medical part of this chapter... it's a curious situation, but don't lose faith in me yet. I still have a couple tricks up my sleeve._

_PLEASE REVIEW! OR I'll CALL AZAZEL...or maybe not..._


	27. Chapter 27: A Time to Celebrate

_A/N: I am soo sorry for the extreme break. Senior year got in the way. well I have this fic finished and have begun to start planning a sequel. THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER!_

* * *

><p><em>Chapter 27: A Time to Celebrate<em>

_Emily managed to divert the attention off of herself finally as April rolled around. She turned the spotlight on Iris, since her birthday was rapidly approaching._

_Raven had been thrilled at the idea of planning a party for the little girl. Charles had smiled warmly at Emily when she brought up the idea, but he hadn't said anything else. _

_Despite the party preparations and all the new found excitement, Charles seemed to be in a haze. He seemed to be off in another world. Emily chose not to press the issue any further. _

_On the day of the party Charles was all smiles. He kept a watchful eye on the boys as they set up the decorations in the garden. Alex and Sean had insisted on getting a bouncy castle. Erik laughed, "They want it for themselves." He told Charles. _

_Charles, however, didn't mind getting the castle for the boys. They deserved it. _

_Raven, Emily, and Iris all sat in Iris's room as the boys worked. Raven sat in the big fluffy chair Iris had coerced Charles into getting for her. Even though she had horribly swollen ankles and her stomach was huge, she was in high spirits._

_Iris and Emily sat on the floor with Emily behind Iris brushing her hair. Emily gently brushed out the long brown curls enjoying the softness. _

"_Can you braid it please?" Iris asked as she scribbled in her drawing book. _

"_Of course, sweetheart," Emily replied sweetly and began to part her hair. _

_Raven smiled happily, "I hope my girl has hair like that."_

_Iris giggled and held up her latest drawing. "I drew a picture of the baby. See!" she pointed to a small figure that was drawn with a blue crayon. _

"_Why is the baby blue?" Raven asked sweetly as she leaned forward as much as her belly would allow. _

"_Cause you're blue! Duh!" Iris explained. _

_Emily snorted and pulled the elastic band off her wrist and wrapped it around the end of the braid. _

_Alex appeared in the door way suddenly. "Okay we are all ready to go." He said._

_Iris jumped up and grabbed Alex's hand pulling him back out into the hall._

"_I think some one is excited," Emily chuckled as she got up. She offered a hand to Raven who gratefully accepted it. _

_The two walked out of the room slowly. "I can't wait for this baby to get here. I want my body back." Raven said putting her hands on her hips. _

"_Just keep telling yourself only two more months," Emily offered as they reached the back garden. _

_Surprisingly, the boys had done a wonderful job decorating the garden. There was an abundance of pink. Ribbons hung from the trees and the three tables that had been set up had pink table clothes. _

_On one table sat the birthday cake that Hank had slaved over the entire night before. No one had the heart to tell him that it was lopsided. On another table sat a pile of presents in bright pink wrapping paper. They had gone in rotations to the town so everyone could get Iris the present they wanted to give her. _

_Charles, of course, had gone a little over board when Erik and he went. In the far corner of the garden sat the bouncy castle that Alex and Sean had asked for. _

_Currently, Hudson, George, Christopher, and Iris were bouncing around; their laughter filled the garden. Charles and Erik had found refuge in the shade, which was where the girls were heading towards. Raven sat down next to Erik, who promptly kissed her on the cheek. Emily took her seat next to Charles. _

_He took her hand in his and smiled. "It's great to see her so happy," he whispered. Emily nodded in agreement and squeezed his hand. _

_The party went by in a blur. The cliché of "time flies when you're having fun" was the epitome of the moment. Before long, there was barely any cake left and the sun had begun to dip behind the tree line. The children had slowed down significantly since that morning and were beginning to drag themselves back up to the house. _

_Alex and Sean grabbed armfuls of gifts and carried them back up to the house. Hank had surprised everyone and had made a simple dinner of cheeseburgers which they had eaten outside. He had long cleaned up the food mess and had taken refuge in the lab. Scott began to pull the decorations down and lay them on the table to be cleaned up. _

_Charles smiled to himself as he watched Erik gently rock back and forth on one of the benches with Iris curled up in his arms. Her eyes were closed and she had his shirt balled up in her fist. _

_Emily walked over to the adorable scene and kneeled down. "I'll carry her up to bed if you want to do the thing you and Charles had discussed earlier," she whispered as she stroked the side of the little girl's face. Erik looked up at her and nodded. He pried Iris's hand away from his chest and placed her in the waiting arms of the auburn haired woman. Iris instinctively wrapped her arms around Emily's neck. _

_Emily began up the path to the house, but was stopped by Charles._

"_This shouldn't take too long. I'll meet you in our room." He whispered so he wouldn't wake Iris. He kissed Emily chastely on the lips then kissed the top of Iris's head. He watched the woman he called his wife walk away until she disappeared into the house. _

_Charles then joined Erik who was helping Raven stand up. The three of them were the only ones left outside now. Erik was grinning stupidly at Raven._

"_Okay, I give up. What are you two up to?" Raven asked leaning on Erik for support. _

_Charles smiled, "We have a surprise."_

"_And no complaining," Erik added. The two men walked on either side of the blue woman, leading her into the house. They walked down the hallway and paused halfway next door to Erik and Raven's room._

"_Boys, this better not be one of those 'I got you a puppy' moments. If I wanted a puppy I could just ask Christopher to turn into one." Raven complained._

"_No, we didn't get you a puppy." Erik laughed. Charles walked behind her and covered her eyes with his hands. Erik held her hand and opened the door. _

_The three shuffled into the room and stopped in the middle. Erik let go of her hand and grabbed her shoulders, angling her in the desired direction. _

"_Ok, now you can look." Erik whispered. Charles removed his hands and stepped up next to his sister. _

_Raven blinked her eyes, taking in the sight before her. They stood in a pale yellow room with a light brown color painted under the matching chair rail. _

"_Emily was in on this too, but it was all Erik's idea," Charles explained._

_Raven wordlessly crossed to the crib that stood in front of her and ran her finger tips along the railing. She looked around and saw a changing table, a squishy rocking chair, a dresser, and a toy chest all in the same theme. Little animals were painted on the walls as well. Inside the crib were sheets that matched the theme and in the corner sat a stuffed tiger that looked incredibly soft. She turned her attention back to the crib itself. _

_She ran her hand along the smooth metal and across the intricate designs that decorated it. Her heart leapt and she looked back at Erik._

"_Did you make this?" she whispered, her voice full of tears. _

_Erik rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and his face flushed red. "Yeah, I just wanted the baby to have something special from me."_

_Raven choked out a sob that turned into laughter as she embraced Erik. Charles stood back silence and watched his two best friends hug. Raven let go of Erik and turned to Charles after a few minutes._

"_So what did you do in here?" she asked sniffling. _

"_I did the wall color and picked out the theme. You had told me something about Erik calling you a tiger once and I took the idea and ran with it. The tiger is from me to my niece or nephew. Emily picked out the clothes in the dresser; it's pretty generic stuff. And Alex, Sean, and Hank all did the animal paintings." Charles explained. _

_Raven smiled brightly and embraced her brother. She buried her head in his neck and cried a little. "Thank you, Charles. The room is beautiful." She whispered. _

"_It's no problem. I hope you know that if you ever need anything to just ask me." He whispered back to where only she could hear. She nodded then let him go. She sat down in the rocking chair and sighed. _

"_I'll leave the two of you alone." Charles said backing out of the room. He pulled the door closed and walked down the hall. _

_He entered his room smiling to himself with his hands shoved in his pockets. Emily sat on the bed in Charles's old Oxford shirt and a pair of sleep pants. _

"_I'm taking that she liked the room based off of the look on your face," she said. _

_Charles chuckled and closed the door behind him and flipped the lock. He strode over to the end of the bed and crawled up towards her, kicking his shoes off in the process. He pressed his body against hers capturing her lips and pushing her down into the pillows. _

_He silently thanked her for already pulling back the covers and wiggled his way under them as he continued to kiss her. _

_Emily responded enthusiastically but put her hands on his chest and pushed him back gently. _

"_Hello to you too," she breathed. _

"_I love you so much," he murmured peppering her neck with kisses. _

"_I love you too," she replied putting her hands around his neck. _

_Charles chuckled against her skin then kissed her deeply again. Emily snaked her hands down his chest and fumbled with the buttons on his waistcoat. She loved the way he looked in these things, but when it came down to situations like this she loathed the piece of clothing. She slipped the garment off his shoulders and tossed it off the bed. _

_She continued on and focused on getting his shirt unbuttoned as he kissed his way down her neck. She pushed the collared shirt off and he helped her dispose of it. He ran his hands down her sides extracting a low moan from her. _

_Charles smiled and slid his hands up under the loose shirt she wore. He pushed it up to wear her breasts began then sat them up slightly so he could pull it over her head. Emily shivered as the cold air came in contact with her warm skin causing her to break out in goose bumps._

_She quickly did away with Charles's under shirt then pulled his warm body against hers. He sighed deeply at the skin to skin contact, igniting a fire between them. He looked at her and smiled as he slid down slightly. He lightly kissed the tops of each of her breasts. Emily moaned and ran her hands through his hair. He wrapped his hands around her back and unclasped the simple bra that she wore. _

_He returned back up to her lips and kneaded her left breast with his hand and cupped the back of her head with his other. _

_Emily slid her hands down in between their bodies and fumbled with his belt buckle. She removed it quickly and worked on undoing his pants. She unbuttoned his khaki slacks and pushed them down past his hips. He finished removing them and threw them off the bed to join the rest of the clothes. Charles quickly removed her sleep pants and rested his hands on her hips. _

_He paused and ran his finger tip along the scar that had formed where she had been stabbed by Azazel. Her eyes fluttered open and met his gaze. _

'_Charles, don't…not now,' she said quietly in his mind. _

'_I wasn't going to say a thing,' he replied. He leaned down slowly and kissed the length of the scar gently. _

"_Charles," she whispered urging him on._

_He hooked his fingers under the waistband of her underwear and pulled them done her slender legs. She sat up and did the same for him then pulled him back down on top of her. He groaned as his hardness brushed against her thigh. _

_He broke away and cupped her face lovingly in his hands. _

"_I really, really do love you." He whispered._

"_I love you too Charles," Emily replied kissing him quickly. _

_They became a tangle of limbs and sweat; each racing towards climax. They toppled over the edge together. Charles had to cover her mouth with his own in order to muffle her cry. _

_He collapsed next her, his chest heaving up and down rapidly. He could hear her breathing hard too next him. He closed his eyes and let the feeling of ecstasy overwhelm his senses. His eyes shot up though when he heard a sob escape her mouth. _

_Charles rolled over in concern. He kissed her brow, "Shh, what's wrong?" he whispered worriedly._

_Emily covered her mouth as another sob escaped and a few tears rolled down her cheek. She used her other hand to grab one of the blankets on the bed and wrapped it around her body as she got out of bed. _

"_Nothing, it's nothing." She choked as she hurried into their bathroom slamming the door behind her. _

_Charles grabbed his boxers and pulled them on quickly. He stumbled into his pants and pulled his undershirt on as he crossed to the bathroom. He knocked on the door and jiggled the handle to find it locked._

"_Emily! Emily, please talk to me! Emily!" he called out desperately through the door. _

"_I'm fine, Charles. Just go away, please go away." Emily called out, her voice muffled by the door. _

_Charles growled quietly in frustration. He went back to his side of the bed and gathered up her clothes. He set them down in a neat pile outside the door and knocked again._

"_I said go away!" Emily snapped._

"_I'm going. I just wanted to say that your clothes are outside of the door." Charles said. He waited for a reply, but one never came. _

_Quietly, he grabbed his pillow and a blanket off of the bed and exited the room, closing the door behind him. He shuffled to his study and looked sadly at the couch. Charles tossed his pillow down and laid down on the couch, pulling the blanket over his body. _

_He rolled over on his side and stifled his own small sob, but let one tear slide down his cheek before closing his eyes one more time for the night. _


	28. Chapter 28: A Glimpse of Hope

_Chapter 28: A Glimpse of Hope_

_Emily and Charles danced around each other for the next few weeks. Charles didn't want to bring up what had happened after Iris's party, even though it deeply concerned him. Emily avoided Charles by waking up early and going for a swim and then going to bed early before he was done in the study. _

_The kids seemed to be oblivious to their strange behavior which eased Charles's mind to some degree. _

_The adults, however, were an entirely different story. Alex and Sean had bluntly asked what was wrong one morning at breakfast. Emily and Charles quickly responded that it was nothing as changed the subject. _

_Raven quietly observed her brother and sister-in-law. She had asked Emily on multiple occasions what had happened, but she acted as if she hadn't heard her. _

_Erik on the other hand had reached the end of his patience at seven weeks. _

_He found Emily sitting on Charles and hers bed and knocked on the door frame. She looked up from the book she was reading and nodded for him to come in. He casually strolled over to where Charles slept and laid down. He sighed loudly and folded his hands behind his head. _

"_What you reading?" Erik asked innocently._

"_Shakespeare," Emily replied simply._

"_Ah, good read." He said. _

_The two sat in silence for a few minutes before Emily spoke. _

"_What you do want, Erik?" she asked still reading her book._

"_To know why you and Charles are fighting," he replied._

"_We are not fighting," she said quietly._

"_Yeah, avoiding each other in every shape and form is not fighting." Erik mocked. _

_Emily scoffed and closed her book. "Close the door," she ordered._

_Erik raised two fingers and used the metal doorknob to push the door closed. _

_Emily's mannerism changed entirely. Her shoulders slumped as she set the book down on her bedside table. She brought her knees up to her chest and rested her head on her the tops of them. _

"_I have a feeling that this has something to do with Shaw," Erik said slowly. _

_She glanced over at him then back at the comforter. _

"_I know the feeling. I let these things bother me. I didn't have anyone to talk to about anything. You can talk to me," Erik said. _

"_I can't tell him, Erik," Emily said quietly. He watched as a single tear slid down her cheek._

"_About what happened?" he asked trying to understand. He searched his memory to find a clue to what she was referring to. _

_She hugged her knees tighter and a light bulb went off in his head. This was about having a baby. His chest tightened as a feeling of guilt spread through his body. _

_Raven and he were getting what Charles and Emily wanted badly. _

_Erik sat up and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, pulling her against him. _

"_You would be surprised at just how understanding Charles can be. He loves you. I have not known him for my entire life, but I have known him long enough to know when he is head over heels for something. That man is tumbling over his own feet for you. Don't let what Shaw did ruin that. Don't be me." Erik whispered as he stroked her hair soothingly. _

"_Thank you, I needed to hear that," Emily responded. She pulled out of his embrace and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She chuckled slightly, "I don't think I have ever cried this much."_

_Erik laughed as well. _

_Emily stopped and pressed her fingertips to her temple. Her eyes closed and she visibly winced. _

"_What's wrong?" Erik asked concerned. He glanced out the window in panic that it was Emma Frost again, but all he saw was the blank grounds glowing in the sunset. _

"_It's Raven," Emily breathed before jumping up and flinging the door open. Erik's heart stopped for a moment before he too ran out the door._

_He saw a glimpse of Emily's auburn hair flying behind her as she ran down the stairs towards the lab. They both arrived at the medical portion of the lab at about the same time. _

"_Charles, what happened?" Emily asked running up next to him and looking worriedly at Raven, who was being helped into a bed by Hank. _

"_Her water broke. She called out for me mentally and I sent that to you too." Charles explained tugging nervously at his long sleeves. _

_Erik sat down next the bed and grabbed her hand. "Erik," she croaked her voice breaking. _

"_It's okay, I'm here now," he whispered stroking her hair. _

_Charles grabbed Emily by the arm and gently pulled her back. Hank pulled the curtain closed around Raven, Erik and himself. _

"_She'll be okay," Emily assured him._

"_I know, I know. She's my sister; it's my job to worry." Charles said. _

_Silence fell between the two of them. _

_Charles shifted nervously, "So are we talking again?" he asked. _

_Emily sighed, "We aren't going to talk about that now. Let's focus on Raven, alright?"_

_Charles slumped in defeat and stepped away from her. Hank reemerged from behind the curtain wearing an unreadable look._

"_Is everything alright?" Emily asked worriedly._

_Hank nodded, "She's in for a long night. You tow can see her now though."_

_Charles moved towards the curtain first. He slipped in between the blue fabric, leaving Emily with Hank. _

_Raven looked good for the time being. Erik was sitting next to the bed holding her hand. _

"_Hey," she croaked offering him a smile._

_Charles crossed to the other side of the bed and squatted down to where his head was level with hers._

"_How are you feeling?" he asked quietly._

"_Annoyed," Raven groaned._

_Charles saw Erik's lip twitch slightly into to small smile._

"_Annoyed?" Charles questioned._

"_Yes, annoyed. I'm annoyed with you and Emily. You twos little fight is stressing me out." Raven exclaimed._

_Her yellow eyes locked with his blue. _

"_I'm sorry," he replied not knowing what to say._

"_I want you two to fix this before this baby is born, got it?" Raven said sternly._

"_Raven…It's not that simple," Charles sighed._

"_Well, make it that simple. Either you fix this or you don't get to hold your niece or nephew until you do," Raven snapped._

_Charles looked taken back. _

_Erik laughed deeply, "She's very convincing."_

"_I'll try," Charles said. _

"_No, 'I'll try', just do it!" Raven argued._

"_Fine, fine, I'll let you rest," Charles said softly, standing up and backing out of the curtain. _

_Emily was no longer in the lab and Hank was wandering around gathering supplies._

"_She's only about three centimeters. And I agree; this while fight has had everyone on edge. It's like mommy and daddy are fighting. No one likes it." Hank said once he noticed Charles._

_Charles ran a hand through his hair and began to head towards the door._

"_She was going to the study, I think," Hank called out as he set down his armful of supplies. _

"_Thank you Hank," Charles said quietly._

_He walked slowly to the elevator and just as slowly towards the study. He had no clue what to say to her. She had been the one who started this mess and he had no clue why. He could feel how uneasy she was in his mind, which just increased his concern. _

_Charles stopped in the doorway and found Emily sitting on the couch. _

_Slowly, he entered the room, closing and locking the door behind him. This was not a situation he wanted the children walking in on._

_Emily looked up quickly from her book. She made a move to get up but was stopped by Charles. _

"_We need to talk. I'm done dancing around you." He said softly. He sat down next to her and sighed. "What is wrong? You don't need to be afraid of me. I want to help you."_

"_You want something that I can't give." She said quietly._

"_What?" he asked confused._

"_I can't have children, Charles," she whispered._

_Charles's heart stopped. His brain went foggy and his chest tightened up. However, the feeling left just ask quickly as it came. It was replaced with a feeling of deep anger, but not towards Emily. _

"_He did this, didn't he? Shaw?" Charles asked in a dangerously low voice._

_Emily just nodded silently. _

"_Remind me to thank Erik later for putting that coin through his head." Charles growled. _

_Emily half laughed half sobbed at his comment. Charles crushed his lips against hers. She kissed him back with equal force. She felt his hands fumble with the hem of her shirt. She began to unbutton his shirt quickly, pushing it off his shoulders. She was shocked to find that he wasn't wearing an undershirt today. _

_Charles broke the kiss briefly and pulled her shirt over her head. He hurriedly found her lips again and gently pushed her down on the couch. _

"_Charles, I'm sorry I never said anything," Emily murmured against his lips. _

_Charles kissed the length of her jaw and started down her neck. _

"_We don't need children to be happy. We have Iris (kiss), Christopher (kiss), George (kiss), Scott (kiss), Alex (kiss), Sean (kiss), Hudson (kiss), and Hank (kiss). I think we have enough." Charles whispered. _

_Emily laughed and ran her hands through his hair. Charles smiled against her skin; it was wonderful to hear her laugh again. _

"_I love you," Emily whispered. _

"_I love you, too," Charles replied. _

_They quickly removed each other's pants and last bits of clothing. He entered her in own swift thrust, coaxing a moan from her. _

_Emily wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer to her. They found their usual rhythm quickly. Each reveled in the feeling that both had missed greatly. _

_Charles's movements became more erratic signaling how close he was. Emily burrowed her head into his shoulder, inhaling the scent that was uniquely him. It felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders now that he knew. _

_All of a sudden, both of them were tumbling over the edge clinging to each other tightly. Charles strategically flipped them over and allowed her to rest on his chest. _

_He stroked her damp hair and ran his hand down her spine. _

"_Charles," Emily murmured. _

"_Hmm?" _

"_We should probably get cleaned up and go check on Raven and Erik." Emily said._

_Charles sighed, "I suppose you're right." _

_Emily giggled and pulled her shirt back on. _

"_Care to join me in the shower?" Charles asked raising an eyebrow at her as he pulled his boxers and pants back up. _

_Emily stood up after she had pulled her own pants on and offered her hand to Charles._

"_Don't mind if I do," she replied pulling him up seductively and leading him towards their room. _

_Two hours later, Emily and Charles returned back down to the lab to check on Raven. All the children were in bed now and only the adults remained awake. _

_Raven hadn't been too thrilled that it had taken Charles so long to get back down to her, but she was happy that he and Emily had finally made up. _

_Charles had relieved Erik for the time being and had taken his spot by Raven's bed. _

"_You can be really immature sometimes," Charles laughed swatting her hand. _

"_What? You walked in here with that classic Charles grin saying 'I just had sex'. How was I not to make fun of you?" Raven giggled. The two laughed for a bit but stopped as Raven's body tensed up from another contraction. _

_She was nine centimeters now and still in high spirits. She had her good moments, then bad the next. Charles had sat with her for the last thirty minutes while Erik went to shower. _

"_I wish the baby would get here already," Raven mumbled. This was the first time that she actually looked weary. _

_Charles squeezed her hand reassuringly, "Only one more centimeter." He said. _

"_I know… Where did Em go?" Raven asked._

"_I'm right here," Emily said from behind Charles. She had an apple in one hand and a stool to sit on in the other. _

_Raven smiled at her. She had been so happy for Charles when she found out about Emily. She was good for him. _

_Erik appeared back in the room with wet hair and pyjamas on. _

"_Hey, sweetheart, I'm back," He said. _

_Charles got up from his seat and offered it to Erik, who took it happily. Charles stood behind Emily and watched Erik carefully. _

_This was a whole new side of Erik. He was happy, almost excited even. It made Charles happy to know that someone loved his sister as much as he did. _

"_Hey, where's Hank?" Raven asked uneasily. _

"_Right here!" Hank called as he came back into the lab. "What's up?"_

"_I feel strange." Raven said uncomfortably. _

_Emily and Charles backed away from Raven to make room for Hank. _

"_That would probably mean it's time," Hank sighed. _

_Raven shifted nervously, "Yeah, yeah it is it is! It hurts now!" she yelped._

_Emily grabbed Charles's elbow and pulled him out of the lab and sat him down across the hall on the floor. _

"_We don't need to be in there right now," Emily explained quietly. _

_Charles nodded and looked down. He noticed a stack of pillows and blankets piled up near Emily. He raised his eyebrow at her._

"_You need to lie down too. I knew there was no way I was going to get you to go to bed, so I brought the bed to you." Emily explained pulling his pillow onto her lap. _

_She patted it and he laid his head down slowly on it, lying down on his back and stretching his legs out. Emily flung a blanket out over him and then tenderly stroked his hair. _

"_Now, close your eyes," she whispered. Charles obliged and let the gentle strokes of his wife's hand soothe his mind._

_Emily could hear every one of Raven's cries, but she used her telepathy to block Charles's mind. He would panic if he heard her. _

_It felt like an eternity had passed. Emily had let her own eyes droop closed but snapped them back open as the sound of a new cry filled the hall. Charles woke up as well and smiled up at her. _

_He sat up quickly and helped her up off the floor. As soon as they crossed to the door, Erik had flung it open. _

_His eyes were red and puffy now and he wore a goofy grin on his face. _

"_She wants to see you two," he said trying to keep his voice calm. _

_Erik led them into the room that was filled with the sound of a mewling infant. Erik stepped back and allowed Charles to sit next to his sister. _

_The blue woman sat up now and held a bundle in her arms. A few tears were still falling down her cheeks, but she was smiling as well. _

"_Come here, Uncle Charles, and meet your niece." Raven croaked. She slightly lifted up her arms offering the bundle to her brother._

_Charles wiped his eyes quickly and took the bundle into his arms. He cradled the infant carefully, realizing that he had actually never held a baby before. He knew what to do he just had never done it. _

_He looked down and saw a pink skinned little girl with a head full of dark hair much like her father's. Charles rocked her slightly to calm her down. Almost immediately, the baby quieted. _

"_You better not have just used your telepathy on my daughter," Erik warned._

_Charles looked shocked himself. "No, I would never." He whispered. _

"_He's a natural father," Raven said quietly. _

_Charles passed the baby onto Emily who cuddled her close to her chest. The baby tangled her hand in Emily's hair, which Charles twisted gently. _

_The little girl made it back to her father's arms, who held her protectively. _

"_We will let you guys rest. She is beautiful, you two. Absolutely beautiful." Charles said wrapping his arms around Emily's waist pulling her towards him. _

_Raven nodded sleepily and watched her brother leave. _

_Emily and Charles grabbed the pillows and blankets in the hall and carried them back up to the room. Charles glanced at the clock and sighed. It was already 2:30 in the morning. _

_He groaned as he rolled into the bed. Emily followed his movement and laid her head down on his chest. He wrapped his arms around her body and kissed the top of her head. _

"_We need to get to sleep before everyone else gets up." Charles mumbled._

"_Yeah all six of our children that are actually asleep," Emily mumbled in response. _

_Charles laughed and pulled the covers up over their bodies. "Yes, dear."_


	29. Chapter 29: A Bright Light

_Chapter 29: A bright light_

_The entire house hold had adapted quickly to the arrival of Baby Magneto, as she was seemed during her first week of life. _

_However, Baby Magneto was replaced with a real name._

_Erik had been pulling at his hair trying to figure out her name. Charles had laughed at his friend's frustration, but offered his help when he could. _

_It was in July, exactly two weeks after her birth, the baby was named Noelle. _

_Erik and Raven had officially found out about Noelle on Christmas, so naming the baby "Christmas" in French made sense. _

_Charles hadn't got to spend much time with his niece. Emily and he had been busy readying the school for the upcoming semester. _

_They were expecting 15 more students that fall. Charles swore that his hair had gotten greyer since the number had been confirmed. However, this constant preparation did not mean that Charles and Emily didn't steal away moments to themselves. _

_Raven had said that they were worst then teenagers, which only earned her a hearty laugh from her brother. _

_Now it was a week before the beginning of the school year. Charles had refused to get up that morning. Emily hadn't felt the best so she stayed with him in bed. Currently, she was sleeping and Charles sat reading over on of his old theses. _

_He would glance over at his wife occasionally when ever she would shift. She had been pretty restless during the night and it didn't show any signs of stopping. He could feel that she was very uncomfortable, but didn't know how to help her. _

_She moaned quietly and pulled her knees up towards her chest. _

_Charles set his notebook down and touched her shoulder, "Emily?" he asked quietly. _

_He gently shook her; Emily moaned again. His brow scrunched together in concern. He leaned over and felt her forehead. Her skin was very clammy. _

_He got up and walked over to her side of the bed. "Come on, we're going to see Hank."_

_He pulled back the covers and his heart stopped. There was a good sized circle of blood spreading across the sheets. _

_Charles broke off in a sprint towards the lab. He passed a confused looking Erik and Raven, but ignored their stares. He burst through the door panting._

"_HANK! HANK!" he called out._

_Hank stood up from where he had been crouching, his glasses skewed across his face. _

"_Hank, bring the ultrasound upstairs to my room now!" Charles ordered, panic obvious in his tone. _

_Hank jumped up and headed towards the machine. Charles broke off again and ran back up stairs. He knelt down next to the bed and gently brushed the side of her face. _

"_Emily," he whispered._

"_Charles, I don't feel good." She groaned. _

"_It's going to be okay, Hank's coming," he assured her._

"_I'm here," Hank said setting down the machine down on the floor. It wasn't exactly a portable machine but this was a special case. "Can you lie flat, Emily?" Hank asked starting the machine up. _

_She uncurled her body slowly. Charles got up and crossed to the other side of the bed. He crawled up next to her and stroked her hair soothingly. _

_Hank pulled up her shirt and squirted the gel onto her abdomen. He knew what Charles was worried about. He was worried about the scar tissue ripping. Hank moved the wand around, his heart pounding in his chest._

_He pressed a few buttons and his heart leapt. _

"_Breath Charles," Hank said. _

_The corner of Hank's mouth curled up into a smile. _

"_She's okay. This happens sometimes." Hank explained. He turned off the machine and began to pack it up. "You need to keep hydrated and take it easy for today. Here's some ibuprofen to help with the cramps. I'll explain everything to Charles." He said towards Emily._

_She nodded wearily and wiped off the gel. She closed her eyes and pulled her shirt back down. _

_Hank motioned for Charles to follow him. _

_Charles looked at Emily, who had curled up again, then back to Hank. He kissed the top of her head then slid off of the bed and crossed to where Hank stood._

_Hank wore a goofy grin. He put his hands on Charles's shoulders and squeezed slightly. _

"_Charles, breathe," he said softly._

"_I'll breathe when you tell me what's wrong with Emily." Charles said trying to keep his voice calm. _

"_She's pregnant, Charles," Hank explained smiling brightly. _

_Charles's heart leapt in his chest. His eyes filled with tears and his mouth turned up in a smile. _

"_Really?" he asked in disbelief._

"_Yes. It's going to be a precarious pregnancy, but we can do this," Hank said. _

_Charles's smile faltered, "Precarious?"_

"_The large amounts of scar tissue throughout her uterus may cause problems. The stretching of the tissue will be painful. The bleeding is going to stop. That's what is going on now. From what I saw the placenta is attached at already good spot so we don't need to worry about that. The baby is a little small but good. She's actually beginning her second semester." Hank explained._

_Charles took a moment to let the news sink in. _

_Emily was pregnant. She wasn't supposed to be able to have children, but now there was proof that that was a lie. He was going to be a father. _

"_Thank you, Hank." Charles whispered._

_Hank suddenly pulled Charles into a hug, but let him go just as quickly._

"_You two deserve this." He said happily. _

"_Don't tell anyone. I want to." Charles said trying to calm his heart._

"_I won't," Hank replied. He gathered up his supplies and left the room. _

_Charles stood where he was left for a moment. He took a deep breath then crossed back to the bed. He knelt down next to Emily and brushed the hair out of her face._

"_You would probably feel better if you took a shower," he suggested._

"_You're probably right," she mumbled into the sheets. She flung the covers off of her body and slowly uncurled her body._

_Charles helped her stand up and shuffle towards the bathroom. _

"_I've got it," she said waving him away. Charles hesitated, but left her alone. He turned back to the bed and sighed. _

_He quickly stripped the bed of the sheets. He turned around to head towards the linen closet but was startled by his sister who stood in the doorway with Noelle in her arms._

"_Good God, Raven! At least cough next time." Charles gasped continuing towards the closet._

"_Is everything alright?" she asked._

"_Wha… yeah, everything is great." Charles answered as he struggled to pull the sheets he had just brought over onto the bed. _

"_Charles, let me help." Raven said. She handed the baby over to her uncle and started straightening the sheet._

_Charles shifted the little girl to where she could see what her mother was doing. Noelle gurgled happily and grabbed the sleeve of Charles's shirt. She pulled it closer and clamped her mouth down on the fabric. _

_Charles sighed as he felt the wetness seep onto his wrist, but he let her continue. _

"_You came running down the hall earlier and then Hank left here with this stupid grin on his face. Something is up." Raven exclaimed as she pulled the comforter back on the bed. She flung the pillows on haphazardly then plopped down right in the middle. _

_There was a knock on the bathroom door, "Charles, I forgot clothes." Emily called out. _

_He handed the baby to Raven, "I'll be back in a few minutes." _

_He grabbed some clean clothes out of the basket of things to be folded and knocked on the bathroom door. _

_Emily cracked it open and let him slid in. The steam from the shower made Charles's clothes cling to his skin uncomfortably. Emily stood in front of the mirror brushing out her wet locks. All she wore was a towel wrapped around her chest. _

_Charles set the clothes down on the toilet seat and crossed over to her. He wrapped his arms around her middle, just above her abdomen, and rested his head on her shoulder. He loved the way she smelled; it was a mixture of roses and almonds. He had gotten the soap for her by mistake once, but she had actually liked it. _

"_You were right. I feel so much better." She said. She even sounded better. "So what's the docs diagnosis?"_

"_We're going to be parents." He murmured into her soft skin. _

_There was a clatter as her brush dropped from her hand. "That's not funny, Charles," she said in a low voice. Her hands drifted to where Charles's hand now sat on top of her abdomen. _

"_I'm not kidding. That's what is causing the pain. You said it yourself last week that you hadn't felt good for awhile. This explains it all." Charles said. _

_Emily looked down at their hands. She felt a strange movement that she had felt before, but had never thought more of it. _

"_We're going to be parents…" she whispered. _

_Charles nodded and locked eyes with her in the mirror. Emily smiled back at him then turned around and kissed him. Charles smiled against her lips then pushed her back. _

"_Raven is sitting out there and I have to explain why I went running down the hall like a mad man. So you get dressed, darling. Then come out and join us." He said rubbing her arms. _

_Emily nodded in response, "We're going to be parents…real parents."_

_Charles chuckled, "Yes, we're going to be parents." He kissed her one more time before slipping out the door._

_Raven was bouncing Noelle on her lap while making funny faces at the same time. Charles sat down next to her and reached out for his niece. Raven handed the baby over and then leaned back against the pillows. _

"_Okay, spill." Raven said. _

_Charles smiled as Noelle leaned forward to lean his chest. He let her curl up comfortably then he gently stroked her back. He could feel her breathe against his chest softly. _

"_Raven, I'm going to be a father." Charles said calmly. He felt the tears rise in his eyes again, but he blinked them away. _

"_Emily's pregnant?" Raven gasped. _

"_Yeah," Emily said from her place by the bathroom. _

_Raven jumped up off the bed and pulled her into a tight embrace. She let out a squeal of excitement. "Oh my god! This is exciting!" she exclaimed. _

_Emily laughed and looked at her husband over Raven's shoulder. _

'_You could help,' she said in his mind as Raven hugged her tighter._

"_Raven, how about Emily and I watch Noelle for a bit. You can get some time alone with Erik. Plus we are going to need the practice now." Charles suggested. _

_Raven smiled brightly. "You have no idea how much I have needed a break."_

"_Well go on then," Emily said pushing the blue girl away. _

_Raven practically bounced out of the room. _

_Emily crawled up next to Charles and lay close to him. She gently touched the now sleeping baby's face. The skin was so soft. Her small little fist grasped a portion of Charles's shirt. The whole picture was incredibly adorable; so natural._

"_I can hear their thoughts," Charles murmured as he stroked the baby's dark tuft of hair. _

_Emily chuckled, "and I'm guessing she wanted to lie down?"_

"_Noelle? Yes, her mind was fuzzy like it is when you are sleepy. But I wasn't just referring to Noelle," Charles explained. _

"_Okay, what do you mean?" Emily asked. _

"_I mean, I can touch our baby's mind. It occurred just a bit ago by accident actually." Charles said._

_Emily's hand flew to her abdomen instinctively. "What?"_

"_It was just a feeling. She's comfortable, that's about all." Charles replied._

_Emily smiled, "She?"_

"_Yes, I saw that on the ultrasound." Charles said. He turned his attention back to Noelle, who gurgled and shifted her head, but stayed asleep. _

"_I don't think we need much practice," Emily murmured. She laid her head down on Charles's shoulder and closed her eyes._

"_And why is that?" he questioned. _

"_I think we were already built for this job. Have you ever held a baby before?" she asked._

"_No, I haven't. Noelle is the first one." He replied closing his own eyes._

"_You're a natural," Emily said letting her mind drift into a peaceful calm. _


	30. Chapter 30: Charles and Emily

_Chapter 30: Charles and Emily_

_Charles and Emily had let the news sink in for few days before they officially told the household. _

_The day they had told Raven about the baby, Erik had come bursting in the room like a mad man. _

"_You're going to be what?" he had exclaimed. _

"_A father, Erik." Charles had replied calmly. _

"_That's amazing," Erik had whispered in return before leaving Charles alone with Emily and Noelle again. _

_The boys had taken it pretty much the same way. There had been a never ending flood of hugs that evening. _

_But now it was two days before the new school year. Charles and Emily had snuck away from the mansion and into town for what they had deemed their "final date night for a long time"._

_They walked hand in hand down the little marketplace in New York just enjoying the each other's company._

_Charles turned down a street that was lined with many high-end boutiques and stores. He glanced at Emily out of the corner of his eye and let his heart melt momentarily. She was glowing in the late afternoon sun; her auburn hair shimmering. She sipped her coffee every so often and kept looking around at the towering buildings above. _

"_You know, I have never been here." She said as they paused at a trash can for her to throw away her empty cup. _

"_Seriously?" Charles asked incredulously. _

"_Yeah, I lived in Florida with my parents since I was ten and then I was about 17 when Shaw came. I don't really remember living in England that much…just bits and pieces every now and then." Emily explained as they continued down the road. _

"_I lived in England till I was about eight then moved to Westchester with my mother. I went to Oxford, as you already know, with Raven, but then I ended up back here." Charles said. _

"_Well aren't you special?" she mocked knocking shoulders with him._

"_If you say so; come on let's go in here." Charles laughed and pulled her into a store. _

_The door chimed and a wave of cool air brushed over their skin. _

"_What are we doing here?" Emily asked looking around at the shelves of baby toys and knick-knacks._

"_Well, I believe we are going to need some things." He said pulling her over to one of the displays. _

_Emily blushed at his enthusiasm, but allowed herself to be dragged throughout the store. It was useful to know that the baby was a girl. _

_They had found a few blankets and a few onesies that weren't incredibly girly. They stood at the checkout and placed their items on the counter._

"_We also have an order; should be under Xavier." Charles said to the worker. _

"_Ah yes! We got that call. I believe that it turned out great," the woman said enthusiastically. She disappeared in the back for a moment then returned with a box. "Here we are." She set the box down and began to pull off the top._

"_Ah, that's not necessary. I'm sure it's great." Charles said pulling out his check book. He filled out the amount and took the bags. _

"_Thank you for your business, Mr. Xaxier. I hope we see you again." The woman said._

"_No, Thank you." Charles replied turning Emily in the direction of the door. _

_Once they were back outside, Emily stopped Charles. _

"_So what's in the box?" she asked peeking into the bag._

"_I actually have no clue. It's from Erik and Raven." Charles answered. He hooked his arm around hers and pulled her along. _

_The reached the car at around 5 and drove home in a comfortable silence. _

_When they entered the mansion they were greeted with a high pitch squeal. The two looked at each other then ventured towards the hall. _

_Iris ran by in her night gown squealing. Shortly behind her was Erik. _

"_I'm gonna get you," he called out. He was running half bent over with his arms stretched out. _

_Emily snorted, catching his attention. Erik snapped to a halt and coughed trying not to meet their gaze._

"_We were just going to bed." Erik explained his chest heaving. _

"_How's that working out for you?" Charles asked smiling at his friend._

"_Shut up, Charles," Erik huffed. He took off again after Iris, leaving Emily and Charles laughing in the doorway. _

"_He's pretty funny sometimes," Emily said grabbing Charles's arm. She led him towards their room then jumped onto the bed playfully. _

"_Some one is in a good mood," Charles chuckled closing the door behind him._

"_And why wouldn't I be?" Emily asked bouncing up and down slightly._

"_I haven't the slightest idea." Charles replied setting the bags down on the bed as he kicked off his shoes._

_Emily lunged for the bags and pulled them closer to her. _

"_Everything is just so tiny," Charles commented holding up on of the onesies. _

"_Well, yeah, it would be kind of creepy if the baby came out fully grown." Emily mocked._

_Charles whacked her arm playfully. "That's not what I meant. I meant that it's amazing to think we all started out this small." He said gesturing to the clothing. He pulled out the box that was from Erik and Raven and set it down on the bed._

"_What was it? Mutation took us from being single celled organisms to the dominant reproductive life on this planet." Emily recited._

"_Yes, you mustn't knock it," Charles chuckled._

"_Mutant and proud," she said smiling brightly._

"_Mutant and proud," he copied. "Perhaps we could open this now?" he said tapping the box._

"_You do it," Emily squeaked as she wrung her hands nervously._

_He lifted the lid off the box and peeled back the tissue paper. "Well I'll be," he laughed softly._

"_What?" Emily exclaimed leaning forward to see into the box._

_Charles pulled out a yellow and blue blanket and set it down on his lap. He pushed the box out of the way then set the blanket down in its place._

_Embroidered on the corner was "Xavier" in a simple script._

_Charles reached out with his mind and touched Erik's. 'The blanket is wonderful, Erik. Thank You.' He said._

'_I want to see our littlest x-man wrapped up in that when she gets here.' Erik responded. _

_Charles smiled and looked back at Emily, who was running her fingers over the lettering._

"_This is…adorable," she whispered._

"_I find it funny that it's the same color as the suits." Charles observed. _

"_It's so soft," Emily continued. She pulled it up against her face and sighed. _

"_And its for our daughter," Charles said bumping shoulders with her. _

_Emily laughed and started putting the clothes back into one of the bags. She held onto the blanket then laid it down on their pillows. _

_She slid off the bed and half skipped over to the sitting area. Charles raised an eyebrow and watched her carefully. She had her back to him, so he couldn't see what she was doing. _

_He heard some music begin to play softly. Emily turned back to him and smiled._

"_Come on, dance with me," She said holding her arms out towards him._

_Charles sighed and slid off the bed and walked towards her. He took her hands in his and swung them playfully back and forth._

"_I don't dance," he said softly. _

"_Neither do I, so we can not dance together," she replied wrapping her arms around his neck. _

_The two swayed back and forth to the beat. Emily scooted closer and laid her head down on his shoulder. _

_Charles whispered the lyrics softly in her ear making her giggle. _

"_Do you know how glad I am that you showed up on my doorstep?" Charles murmured. _

"_Not as much as I am," Emily replied. _

_Charles let one of his hands drift in between them and rest on her abdomen. _

"_I can't wait," he whispered before kissing her quickly on the lips. _

"_Me too," she whispered nuzzling against his shoulder. She inhaled deeply taking in the scent that was uniquely Charles. _

_In one swift movement, Charles picked her up bridal style and walked over to the bed. _

"_I have always wanted to do that," he laughed as he laid her down. _

"_I'm glad I could be of assistance," she replied. "Now, as comfortable as I am, I need to change." She said scooting to her side of the bed and then sliding off. _

_She crossed to her dresser and pulled out her night clothes. As she began to take off her shirt, Charles looked away._

_Even though they were married, Charles liked to give her privacy. He felt the bed shift telling him that she was done. He then got up and stripped down to his boxers. He grabbed the pair of sleep pants by the bed and tugged them on. _

_Once he was finished, Charles slid under the covers and wrapped his arms around Emily's waist, pulling her close to him. _

"_Best date night ever," Emily murmured wiggling to get comfortable at the same time. _

"_Most definitely," he replied into her hair before closing his eyes and letting sleep wash over him. _


	31. Chapter 31: The First Day

_Chapter 31: The First Day_

_The first day of school came around quickly. Charles had gotten up ridiculously early to ready the house. He was terrified of having all the children and their parents in one place at one time. _

_He had made sure that the children were bathed and dressed nicely. Raven had decided that it was best is Hank to watch Noelle for the day and stay out of sight. They didn't want to overload the parents with mutants. _

_Raven had chosen to take her blonde form. Erik appeared to be just as nervous as Charles. Emily had attempted to calm the two, but nothing was working. _

_She wished Charles was more relaxed. This morning when she had gotten dressed, she had to borrow a pair of pants from Raven. Her abdomen was growing slightly. She wanted to tell Charles, but now seemed like a bad time. _

_It was ten o'clock now and Charles was pacing up and down the hallway. The students were going to arrive any moment. _

_Emily caught him by the shoulders and stopped his pacing. "Hey, it's going to be okay," she whispered rubbing his arms soothingly. _

_Charles smiled, "I know, remember it's my job to worry." _

_Emily laughed, "You're giving yourself grey hair." She brushed the hair by his part._

_The doorbell rang in the distance, causing Charles to tense. _

"_Go get 'em," she said softly pushing him towards the door. He quickly kissed her then headed towards the gateway to the beginning of his school. _

_Emily heard voices float into the hall and smiled to herself. She peaked around the corner and saw Charles shaking hands with a man who was older than him and then with a woman who appeared to be about the same age. _

"_I'm so glad you decided to take my offer." Charles said enthusiastically. He then knelt down and addressed the girl that stood by the man who was her father. "It's good to see you again, Jean." Charles said touching her arm reassuringly. _

_The girl did not respond, but Charles smiled and stood back up. "Why don't you go into the living room and have some of the snacks we have set up." He said gesturing to the adjacent room. _

_The little family left and Charles turned back to the door where more families had begun to flow in. Emily ducked back into the hallway and down to the lab where Hank and Noelle were. She had never been good with crowds so she was going to avoid this one at all costs. _

_Hank was bent over one of his experiments and Noelle sat in her high chair nearby. She was happily playing with her stuffed tiger. Occasionally she would gurgle and shove the paw into her mouth. _

_Emily came over and pulled her out of the chair and settled her on her hip. Noelle flapped the tiger happily in one hand and grabbed Emily's shirt with the other. _

"_I'm taking it that all the children are arriving?" Hank asked continuing to look through the microscope._

"_Yes. I love children; it's the parents that I can't stand." Emily explained bouncing Noelle. _

"_Well the kids like you too." Hank said looking up at her._

"_What are you working on?" Emily asked sitting down on a stool while shifting Noelle to her lap. _

"_I'm trying to find out if Noelle has the mutant gene." Hank said shifting the microscope. _

"_Oh really?" she asked pulling a set of tweezers out of Noelle's hand._

"_And I have pretty much confirmed it." Hank continued._

"_At this age? She's only a few months old." Emily said._

"_I believe the fact that both of her parents are mutants has something to do with it." He explained. _

"_Did Raven ask you to do this?" she asked shifting Noelle._

"_No, Erik did. Didn't you just take those away from her?" Hank asked nodding towards Noelle. _

_Emily looked down and saw the tweezers Noelle had grabbed earlier back in her hand._

"_Wait," Hank said as she moved to take the tweezers away again. _

_He gently pried the object away and held it in his palm just out of her reach. Noelle squirmed in Emily's arms and reached out towards Hank. It was a matter of seconds before the tweezers left Hank's hand and fell into Noelle's grasp. The baby laughed and waved her arm around happily._

"_Great, we have another Magneto." Hank chuckled._

"_Apparently," Emily laughed planting a kiss on top of the baby's head._

_Noelle was beginning to look more and more like her father everyday. She had his hair color and steely blue eyes. Her eyebrows would scrunch together the same way Erik's did when he was confused. Bits of Raven showed through as well. Noelle's smile was most definitely like Raven's according to Charles._

'_I know you don't like crowds, but I could use your help. Erik has chosen now to be shy.' Charles said touching Emily's mind._

_She hesitated in answering him. _

'_Don't worry, my love, the parents are gone. It's just the children.' Charles said._

'_I'll be up in a second,' Emily replied. She stood up and put Noelle back down in her high chair. "Apparently, I'm needed." She said to Hank._

"_I think I can handle Noelle. Go help the poor professor." He replied waving her off._

_Emily smiled and walked brusquely up the stairs towards the living room. She could hear the children's voices carry down the hallway. She rounded the corner and found Charles and Erik standing in the doorway._

"_Ok, I'm here." She said pecking Charles on the cheek._

"_We have the girls roomed together so if you wouldn't mind taking them. Erik and I will handle the boys." Charles explained._

_Emily looked around and did a quick head count. There were only eleven children. There were three girls and eight boys._

_Erik cleared his throat, causing the kids to fall silent._

"_Okay, girls this is Emily. She is going to take you to your room and get you settled in. Charles and I will take the rest of you." Erik said. _

_Emily watched the three girls get up with their bags and shuffle towards her._

"_Hey," she said quietly offering them a warm smile._

_Surprisingly they all smiled back as they filed out into the hall._

"_Okay, um, follow me," Emily said as she led them down the hall. She led them upstairs and then to the right; stopping at the second door on the right. She opened the door and motioned for them to go in._

_Each girl scurried in and stopped in the middle of the room. Emily closed the door and smiled._

"_Welcome to your new room. This is the biggest room out of the dorms so you girls are lucky. Go ahead and pick any bed and dresser. They are all yours." Emily explained._

_The girls smiled brightly and each lunged towards a different bed. Emily laughed at their enthusiasm._

"_So what are your names?" Emily asked sitting down at one of the desks. It was frustrating that she couldn't stand as long as she use to. Besides the occasional nausea, the only other symptom of her pregnancy was her swollen ankles. _

_Charles had been worried that it had occurred so soon, but Hank assured him that every pregnancy is different. _

_Emily folded her hands across her small bump and watched the girls._

"_My name is Lorna. I'm 18." The girl with a hat on said._

"_I'm Ororo. I'm 13." The girl with the amazing white hair said. _

_Emily nodded and looked at the last girl who was obviously the youngest._

"_I'm Jean, I'm 11" the red head said in a quiet voice._

"_Well, it is very nice to meet all of you." Emily said._

_There was a silence that fell over the room for a moment._

"_Are you and the professor together?" Lorna blurted._

_The other two girls looked at her with wide eyes._

_Emily laughed, "It's alright girls, and yes we're married."_

"_That's cool," Lorna replied smiling._

"_You girls can ask me anything. I am here to help you." Emily explained._

"_Thank you," Ororo said pulling her stuffed bear out of her bag. _

_Emily got up and walked towards the door. She felt two arms wrap around her waist, causing her to stop. She looked down and saw Jean hugging her._

'_Thank you,' Jean projected into her mind._

_Emily patted her back and then let her go. Jean looked up at her and smiled before going back to her bed._

"_Dinner is at 6:00, so I'll see you three then." Emily said before exiting the room._

_She found Charles leaning against the wall in the hallway. _

"_This is going to be interesting." He said as he crossed to her. _

_Charles put her hands on her hips and pulled her close. He captured her lips and kissed her deeply._

"_Hmmm, no P.D.A. Professor," Emily mumbled pulling away._

"_Fine, then come with me." Charles said seductively._

"_Don't mind if I do," She replied taking his hand and allowing herself to be led down the hall. _


	32. Chapter 32: Becoming a Teacher

_Chapter 32: Becoming a Teacher_

_It took everyone a few days to get use to having more kids around. Erik and Alex had to watch their language a lot more. Hank found himself getting up earlier to make breakfast for everyone. Charles and Emily found their moments together decreasing. _

_But it was nothing that they couldn't cope with. _

_It was five o'clock in the morning on a Monday. Charles sat up in bed with a stack of papers to his right and notebook on his lap. He had his bedside lamp on the lowest setting in hopes it wouldn't disturb his sleeping wife. He glanced over at her and smiled before returning to his work. _

_He was grading the children's first quiz of the school year. They had been in school for four weeks. He had taken up the science department, Hank had taken math, Erik had taken physical education, Emily had taken English, and Raven had taken history. They were a bunch of misfit teachers just trying to figure out what to do._

_The quiz was a pretty simple one. Charles had just questioned them on the scientific method by giving them different scenarios. Everyone had done very, very well so far on the front page, but it was the back page that seemed to have stumped them._

_Emily shifted next to him and groaned. "Would you tell your daughter to lie still for at least a few hours?" she asked rolling over to face him._

_Charles chuckled, "I thought we decided I wasn't going to do that?"_

"_Well, I would like to actually sleep and not wake up feeling nausea." Emily mumbled._

_Charles sighed. He put his notebook down and scooted to where he was laying down next to her._

"_Come here," he murmured, pulling her gently against his chest. He could feel her swollen stomach touch his hip ever so slightly. He wrapped his arm around her back and rested his hand on the side of her belly. He gently rubbed circles on her stomach causing her to sigh._

"_You're too good to me," Emily mumbled into his shirt._

"_Right back at you, my love." He said kissing the top of her head. _

"_I'm working on sentence structure with the younger ones; handwriting as well. The older ones are going to start essays this week. Sean and Alex may kill me." She said._

"_Its school, they are supposed to hate their teachers." Charles explained. _

_They heard a soft wail echo down the hall signaling that Noelle was awake._

_Charles smiled as he heard Erik and Raven's door open followed by the scuffing of Raven's slippers on the floor. _

"_Mmm, can't wait to be woken up like that," Emily mumbled. _

"_We'll like it, don't lie." Charles laughed. "We should probably consider getting up. It's 5:45."_

"_Key word in that statement would be 'consider'," Emily said rolling out of his arms. _

_Charles shifted to where he was sitting up again and then pulled the covers back. He slowly stood up and rubbed his eyes as he shuffled to the closet._

"_Never mind, baby says get up." Emily yelped practically jumping out of the bed and hurtling towards the bathroom._

_Charles winced as he heard he heave up the contents of her stomach. He entered the bathroom and saw her leaning up against the bathtub with her eyes closed._

"_I hate this part," she rasped._

_Charles wet a wash cloth and offered it to her. She wiped her mouth then handed it back to him as she stood up. Emily quickly brushed her teeth then leaned against Charles as he brushed his own._

"_I hate Mondays too," she said._

"_Me too," he replied rubbing her back then leading her back into the room. _

_The two got just dressed rather slowly and shuffled out into the hallway. _

_Erik came out of his room at the same time with Noelle on his hip. He looked miserable. His eyes were all puffy and his nose was red. _

"_Charles, can you take her? Raven and I woke up with a fever. I think it's the flu." Erik grumbled, his voice obviously stuffed up._

_Charles took the small girl and held her on his hip. "Sure, I don't think the kids will mind having a break for today." He said._

"_Good, that's good." Erik mumbled rubbing his eyes._

"_Erik," Emily said getting his attention._

"_What?"_

"_Go back to bed," she said turning him around._

_Erik nodded weakly then walked back into his room. Noelle gurgled and grabbed a hold of Charles's sweater. She put her other hand on the side of his face almost like she was patting him._

"_She's hungry," Charles said pulling the girl's hand away from his face._

_Emily nodded and began walking towards the kitchen. Noelle and Charles had developed a sort of bond. Once Noelle figured out that she could communicate with Charles by touching his head, she didn't stop. Charles had found it pretty cute, but it slowly became annoying._

_He followed Emily into the kitchen and set Noelle down in her high chair by the table. Emily sat down next to the baby with a can of baby food in hand. She began spooning, what she considered disgusting, into the eager infants mouth. _

_It made Charles's heart swell as he watched Emily mimic Noelle's mouth movements. Even though she denied it every time, Emily was built to be a mother._

_Charles set down a bagel down in front of her and then took his seat. _

"_Well I guess the kids are gonna get two free periods today," Emily said wiping Noelle's mouth._

"_Did I hear free time some where in that statement?" a groggy Alex asked as he stumbled into the kitchen. He patted Noelle on the head, "Morning, Squirt."_

_Noelle giggled and waved her hands around as if to wave at him._

"_Erik and Raven have the flu, which means it won't be long before the children get it." Charles said sipping his coffee._

"_Awesome," Alex mumbled sarcastically. _

_Hank entered the room not long after. He immediately got to work on preparing breakfast for the children, who would be getting up anytime. He had become quite adept at making large batches of eggs and toast._

_Charles noticed Iris standing in the doorway with her blanket in hand. She was rubbing her eyes and looking around drowsily at the occupants of the kitchen. The girl had gotten so use to waking up when the adults did that she never really adjusted to the school time._

"_Good morning, sweet heart," Charles called out._

_Iris locked eyes with him and smiled. She shuffled over to him, her bunny slippers squeaking with every step. She crawled up into his lap and curled up against his chest, pulling her blanket up to her mouth._

_Charles rubbed her back and continued to sip his coffee._

_He could feel the children begin to stir upstairs and he nodded to Hank who grimaced._

_It was long before they heard the patter of feet in the dining room as well as the occasional voice._

_Emily picked Noelle up out of her chair and balanced her on hip. She peered into the dining room and smiled at the sleepy children. She saw Scott sitting next to Jean, who had finally opened up. The two had seemed to have formed a friendship._

_The boys tended to flock together as did the girls._

_Lorna walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table that Charles and Alex sat at. Sean made his appearance a few moments later. _

_Mornings in the Xavier Institute were always slow._

"_I guess I better explain what's going on today," Charles sighed._

"_Probably would be a good idea," Emily replied. _

_Charles shifted Iris to Alex's lap and walked over to the dining room. He told the children the situation with Erik and Raven which got sighs of relief as well as groans of disappointment. _

"_On your off periods, you are welcome to wander the grounds. However, you must stay on the grounds. I will know if you decide to take different path," Charles said tapping his temple. _

_The children nodded and continued to eat._

"_You all have about thirty minutes, so eat up." He finished before turning back into the kitchen. _

"_So Prof, when do we get to train again?" Sean asked nibbling on some toast._

"_Train?" Lorna asked raising an eyebrow at the Professor._

"_We'll discuss that later." Charles said in a low voice._

"_Wait, do you guys have some sort of secret operation going on here?" Lorna pressed._

"_Totally dude! We are the X-Men!" Sean said enthusiastically._

"_Dude, shut up!" Alex snapped punching Sean in the shoulder._

"_Owww! What?" he whined._

"_I'll talk to you about it later, Lorna," Charles sighed taking Noelle from Emily._

"_Awesome! New recruit!" Sean exclaimed. He got up from his seat and headed towards the doorway towards the hallway. He turned around as he reached the threshold and crossed his arms to form an 'X'. He then did a strange fist pump in the air with each arm and backed out of the room, "X-Men out!" he said._

_Hank turned to Alex and snorted, "Is he high?" he asked._

_Alex shrugged, "Who knows?"_

_The school day went relatively smoothly. Charles had to reign in a few of the boys who decided to test him on whether he would truly catch them disobeying his orders._

_The look on their faces had been priceless when the three boys trudged into Charles's office. He scolded them briefly and let them off on a warning. _

_Dinner had come and gone quickly that day. Charles now sat on his bed with Noelle in his lap playing with her stuffed tiger._

_He balanced his papers on one knee trying to keep the baby away from them. He had to admit that this was the part he was beginning to hate as a teacher. There were so many papers to look at and grade. The whole aspect was becoming overwhelming. _

_Noelle babbled to herself as she pulled on the poor tiger's limbs. Charles smiled at her and set the paper he had just finished (which happened to be Scott's) into another pile. _

_Noelle leaned back against his chest and tilted her head up to look at him. She lifted her hand up and reached towards him._

"_Not now, sweetheart," Charles said pushing her arm down gently. _

_The baby made a noise of discontent and wiggled around in his lap. Emily walked into the room and plopped down on the bed causing it to bounce slightly._

"_Everyone is in bed. I gave Erik and Raven a bowl of soup. And this one needs to go to bed too." She said grabbing Noelle._

"_I need to go to bed," he groaned rubbing his temple._

_Emily frowned and got back up taking Noelle with her. The two disappeared out of the room for a bit. Emily returned a while later and changed into one of Charles's college shirts and a pair of sleep pants. _

_She crawled into the bed under the covers and sighed._

"_Come on Professor, it's bed time," she said._

_Charles nodded weakly and dropped his papers on his bedside table. He had changed earlier when he had escaped from the students after dinner._

_He crawled under the covers and snuggled close to Emily._

"_So have you thought of any names yet?" Emily asked trying to calm her husband's mind. It was one downfall of being a telepath too; she could feel everything he felt. _

_Charles visibly relaxed into the pillows._

"_Yes, I have, but I want it to be a surprise," he said.._

"_Well, that's not fair. I get a say in this too," she protested._

"_Well, of course, what do you have in mind? I'll tell you if I like it or not." He suggested closing his eyes. He rested one of his hands on her abdomen and smiled._

"_Well I don't want anything stupid. No making a name out of our names," she said._

_Charles chuckled, "Aww, no Charly?" he joked._

"_Oh, hell no," she groaned in response._

"_Alright then,"_

"_I want something meaningful; like what Erik and Raven did with Noelle," Emily explained._

"_I agree, but if we are gong to do that, it would probably be best if we waited till she was actually born," Charles suggested._

_Emily sighed, "Yeah, that's true.'_

_They sat in silence for a while. Emily noticed Charles's breathing slow._

"_Charles?" she whispered. There was no response._

_She smiled to herself and nuzzled her head against his chest, allowing her to take her off as well._


	33. Chapter 33: I have a bad feeling

_Chapter 33: I have a bad feeling about this…_

_Charles and Erik had officially become those overbearing parents. Raven and Emily had expected this to happen, but the whole thing was pretty annoying at the end of the day. The two men brought a whole new definition to controlling._

_Erik had decided that Noelle was going to be bilingual despite Raven's protests. Then, of course, came the question of what other language besides English to teach the baby; Erik spoke German, Polish, French, and Spanish. Erik had grumbled to himself for weeks, trying to mull over the decision. In the end, French was the winner._

_Charles, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck. There wasn't a day that Emily didn't find his nose buried in some type of parenting book. She assured him that he was going to be fine, but that only sent him into a lecture on his weakness and lock of knowledge on the matter._

_By the time Emily was in her seventh month, she had given up entirely on consoling her husband._

_Outside of the obvious parenting troubles, the outside world had started to press in on the sanctuary that was the Xavier school._

_The government had decided to take further action against mutants, or "conspirators" as they were labeled by the news. Charles's heart sank every time he read about another capture of a mutant, especially when they were young._

_Erik and he had set their recruiting into overdrive in attempt to protect the mutants. Since the opening of the school in September they had gained 10 more students._

_It was April now._

_Charles sat outside in the garden scanning the day's newspaper. Erik quietly approached his friend and offered him a bagel. Charles looked up and nodded, taking the offering. Erik sat down on the bench and sighed. _

"_I think it's time to start of that project you suggested a while back," Charles said slowly._

_Erik raised an eyebrow, "Why now?"_

_Charles flattened the paper on his lap and pointed to the main article as he took a bite of the bagel._

_There was a ridiculous looking picture of Agent Stryker shaking hands with the President. The title read, "Military Action Approved against Conspirators."_

"_I don't want to tell you I told you so," Erik said._

"_But you told me so," Charles sighed looking up at his friend, concern apparent in his eyes._

"_I guess it's a good thing I started anyways." Erik said standing up dusting off his pants._

"_What?" Charles asked folding up the paper._

"_Follow me," Erik said walking off towards the woods._

_Charles finished off his bagel and got up to follow. Erik walked a good distance into the woods and paused between two trees. He toed the ground for a moment then put his hand out, feeling for the metal he knew was there._

_Charles watched Erik open up a metal door that had been concealed by the brush._

"_Call me paranoid," Erik said letting the door drop with a soft thud._

_The two men climbed down a ladder that Erik had installed. He flipped a switch on his right and rows of lights began to flicker on._

"_You literally built a bunker," Charles said in awe._

"_There's one bathroom, one medical room, one great room some bunks in the back, and a storage area." Erik said walking out in front of Charles._

"_You have been busy, my friend," Charles observed touching the metal wall that held back the earth._

"_It kept my mind busy," Erik said simply. "You get to figure out what to put down here."_

_Charles chuckled, "That I can do."_

_Emily was not feeling good. It was not like she was sick; it was more of a bad feeling. It felt like something was going to happen. She had gotten up after Charles and had stationed herself on the couch in the study._

_Iris, George, Chris, and Hudson sat around the coffee table quietly working on homework even though it was Saturday. It made her happy to see how dedicated the children were. She shifter slightly and pressed her hand at the top of her swollen stomach._

'_Please stop kicking me in the ribs,' Emily thought, trying to gently mover her daughter's foot. She felt the baby roll slightly in response, making her smile._

_Charles had discovered that he could touch the baby's mind one night. He had been so thrilled. Ever since that night, he had literally not stopped. Emily had been hesitant to reach out to the baby. She only really attempted to when she was in pain, but nothing more. Charles just liked to talk to his daughter, which Emily found quiet sweet._

_There was a small twinge in the small of her back causing her to wince. Hudson noticed her discomfort and rose and eyebrow. Emily silently nodded that she was okay. Hudson slowly returned to his work, but kept a watch on her out of the corner of his eye._

'_Are you ever going to come back into the house?" Emily projected to Charles._

_Charles laughed, 'Eventually, Erik and I are almost finished out here.'_

_Emily smiled to herself and looked down at her book on her lap. She read only about four pages before she felt the couch shift. Charles reclined back against the corner and crossed one leg over the other._

"_How are you?" Charles asked smiling. Emily shifted nervously._

"_Hey kids, I think you've done enough studying for today. Go relax," Emily said waving the children away._

_The kids gathered up their papers and shuffled silently out of the room, leaving Emily and Charles alone._

"_I have a bad feeling," Emily said quietly, looking up at Charles briefly. Charles let out the breath he had been holding and leaned forward to where he was resting his head on his hands._

"_Thank God, it's not just Erik and me," Charles sighed. He then looked up quickly, "Wait, this isn't about the baby is it?" he asked slightly panicked._

_Emily smiled softly, "No, the baby is fine. She's just trying to get comfortable."_

_Charles relaxed slightly, "Ok, good. You've been reading the paper, right?"_

"_Unfortunately," Emily sighed. "I got in contact with my friend, Lily. She's the one I've told you about."_

"_Good, I'm glad you did," Charles replied. There was a moment of silence between the two._

"_Erik built a bunker." Charles said solemnly. "He went out just a bit ago to get some supplies that might be necessary."_

"_Well…I don't know exactly what to say to that," Emily chuckled nervously._

_Charles snorted and leaned back against the couch. Emily readjusted her body to where her back was now facing Charles and slowly leaned back against his chest. She closed her eyes as Charles wrapped his arm around her stomach and gently nuzzled her head against his shoulder. Charles rested his cheek against the top of her head and sighed._

"_Charles?" Emily whispered._

"_Hmm?" he replied breathing in her floral scent. It was a comforting smell to him now._

"_I'm afraid…I'm afraid for the kids; I'm afraid for us and I'm afraid for the baby. This is not something any of us need to live in. It's not what I want to bring our daughter into." Emily whispered her voice cracking. _

_Charles felt a lump form in his throat and his eyes watered up. This was his greatest fear. The humans were afraid and it was going to never end. Erik had been right. The government had needed them at the time of the Missile Crisis, but once that was solved mutants were the new enemies. He wished he could change all of this and make the humans understand. But he couldn't._

_Now they had to hide; they had to fear for their lives._

"_I am too," he mumbled trying to keep the tears from falling. "I won't let anything happen to you." Charles said wrapping his other arm around her upper body He felt her relax against him which comforted him some. He closed his eyes, the tears still burning behind his eyelids and willed himself to relax just for the moment._

_The hours ticked away slowly for Raven. Erik had mentioned that he was going out, but that had been that morning. Now the sun was setting and there was no sign of him._

_Noelle was even restless. She fidgeted uncomfortable in her mother's arms. Something was wrong; they both knew it._

_Moira Mactaggert brought the binoculars back up to her eyes again and carefully followed their target. The dark haired man wore a leather jacket and dark slacks. Sunglasses covered his eyes and his hands were stuffed into his pockets. Moira's heart thumped against her chest as she watched the man near the designated zone. _

_She reached towards the walkie talkie that sat on her lap and brought it up slowly to her mouth._

"_It's him, I'm positive," She said slowly._

_Moira watched at the three other men in her team readied themselves. The man paused and looked in the direction of where Moira sat hidden in the car. _

_Her blood ran cold._

"_Now," she ordered into the walkie. She touched the dog tags that hung around her neck. _

'_You did this! This is your fault!" echoed throughout her mind._

"_No, Erik this is on your head." She whispered._

_Charles's eyes shot open. Emily shifted in his arms, but remained asleep. His mind was throbbing._

'_Charles! Oh my God! Charles, he's hurt!' Raven yelled in her brother's mind._

'_Raven, please calm your mind,' Charles said. He could feel his sister's distress radiating throughout his being._

'_Charles, it's Erik,' Raven croaked. 'Oh God, its Erik.'_

_Charles gently pushed Emily off of him, which woke her up almost instantly._

"_What's going on?" she grumbled, sitting up._

"_It's Erik," Charles called out as he ran out of the room. _

_He practically flew down the stairs and into the entrance hall._

"_Raven, Raven, I'm fine, really," Erik moaned from where he sat on the floor._

"_Good God, Erik. Now what did you do?" Charles breathed as he knelt down next to his friend. _

_The side of his face bore a large gash that was bleeding slowly. His jaw looked bruised and so did his knuckles._

_Erik scoffed the grabbed his side, "I'm not really sure actually," he joked._

"_Let's go to the lab. Raven go sit with Emily, Erik will be fine." Charles ordered helping Erik to his feet. _

"_Aw, you don't want me bleeding all over your mahogany floors Charles?" Erik quipped as he braced himself against the shorter man._

_Charles smiled slightly, but then looked back at Raven. He lip quivered, but she nodded and turned towards the stairs._

_Charles and erik trudged to the elevator and down to the lab. Erik was trying not to lean on Charles too much, but his side protested._

"_Sit here. Hank went out with Sean on a run so you're stuck with me," Charles said. He grabbed some cloth strips and began dabbing at the cut across Erik's cheek. Erik hissed from contact._

"_Sorry," Charles mumbled. "Let me see you side."_

_Erik shifted and rolled up his shirt. His left side was pretty badly. The skin was not broken, but the wound looked painful. _

"_Charles, they knew who I was." Erik gasped as the telepath pressed slightly at his ribs._

"_What?" Charles asked pulling away._

"_Three men just attacked me. They were most definitely government. Their training was to sophisticated for anyone else. I got away, but Charles, I think they wanted me to." Erik explained._

_Charles motioned that he was down with Erik's side then ran a hand through his hair. _

"_I…." Charles began but stopped when the words wouldn't come._

_He didn't know what to say. His mind was reeling. He sat down on the stool that was nearby and rested his head in his hands. He didn't know what to do._

_Charles winced as he felt a sharp stab in the back of his mind._

"_Charles?" Erik asked concerned._

_The pain flared back up again allowing Charles to pinpoint the location of the call._

'_Charles, get the kids out now!' Hank's voice echoed through his mind._

'_Hank, why? What's going on?' Charles replied his head throbbing._

'_It's the government, they found us. God, Charles, there's tons of them. Sean and I will meet you at the bunker you told me about. Hurry!' Hank exclaimed._

_Charles's head snapped up and looked at Erik. "They're here."_

"_Get the girls, I'll get the kids," Erik said before jumping up and running out of the room, pain being the last thing on his mind. Charles followed closely behind him and broke off up the stairs. He burst into the study panting._

"_come with me quickly, there's no time to explain. We just have to get out of here." Charles gasped grabbing Emily's hand. Raven held Noelle tight to her body and followed the couple out of the room._

_Charles could hear the footsteps of the children running. His heart pounded in his chest. This couldn't be happening. He wanted to wake up from this growing nightmare. _

_He led Emily and Raven down the stairs and headed towards the back door. He heard the glass windows shatter behind them as four men stormed in. Raven screamed and covered Noelle's head with her arm; the baby sobbed deeply into her mother's chest._

_Emily grasped Charles's hand tightly trying to fight the searing pain that had been spreading throughout her body._

_They had reached the garden; they could make it._

_Charles heard gunfire behind them and his heart stopped. He tried desperately to touch the minds of the soldiers, but he was blocked out. He felt a fiery pain in his left thigh, causing him to falter. He dropped to his knees in the forest and swung open the door. He quickly ushered the girls inside before sliding in himself. _

_He felt Erik's hand grasp his shoulder reassuringly as the door bolted closed. _

"_They didn't see us. I know they didn't," Charles breathed as he collapsed against the wall clutching his thigh._

"_Hank!" Erik called over his shoulder before dropping down next to Charles._

_Hank appeared over Erik and knelt down on Charles's left side. He quickly began to examine the professor's leg. He tore away the pants leg that covered the wound effortlessly. He grabbed some strips of cloth and pressed them against the large gash on the side of Charles's thigh. _

_Charles yelped in pain and grabbed Erik's shoulder tightly. _

"_You were lucky my friend. The bullet only grazed your leg." Erik explained putting his hand on his friend's shoulder._

"_You need stitches," Hank said clinically. _

_Charles nodded and allowed Erik to help him to his feet. The two men limped back to the medical room; Erik helped him onto the table once they arrived. _

_A wave of panic washed over Charles._

"_Where's Emily?" he asked looking around wildly._

"_I'm right here." Emily answered softly. She walked into the room and stood next to the table. She took her husband's hand in hers and squeezed it gently. _

"_Are you okay?" Charles asked Emily as Hank entered the room. _

_Her face fell for a moment, but quickly returned to its previous state. "For now," She answered slowly._

"_I'm going to get started." Hank said readying the needle. _

_Charles turned away and looked at Emily._

"_What's wrong?" Charles asked trying to distract himself._

_Emily looked away, then back again. "My water broke earlier," she said quietly._

"_What? Earlier as in?" Charles asked his heart rate rising again._

"_I'd put it at 45 minutes ago; contractions are 12 minutes apart so I'm okay right now," Emily explained._

"_Why didn't you tell me?" Charles asked as Hank placed a bandage over the stitches._

"_Erik was hurt." Emily said._

"_Well, let me check you out." Hank interrupted motioning to the bed against the wall._

_Emily shuffled over to the bed and lay down. She sighed as some of the pressure was relieved from her back. Charles slid off of the table and limped over to the bed._

"_You need to take it easy on that leg," Hanks said as he pulled on a pair of gloves._

"_I will," he replied pulling a chair up next to the bed and situating himself in it._

_Hank went down to the end of the bed and shifted nervously on his chair._

"_I'm going to see how dilated you are alright?" he said._

_Emily nodded and looked up at the ceiling. Hank went quickly trying to lessen the awkwardness of the situation. _

"_Well you're about four centimeters. You are in for along right," Hank assessed. "Just tell if you need anything."_

_Hank peeled off the gloves and left the room. _

_Charles looked back at Emily and smiled weakly. "Remind me to never ask Hank to do something like this again. I believe he has been officially scarred for life," Charles jested._

_Emily chuckled and shifted to where she was leaning up against the wall instead of Charles. "You might need to start looking for a doctor after this, Professor," she replied playfully shoving him._

_Her face fell and she closed her eyes for a moment. A wave of panic flooded Charles's chest._

"_Are you ok?" he asked touching her shoulder._

"_You are panicking more than I am. Charles, you have to calm YOUR mind," Emily said._

_Charles smiled and slid his hand down to where it rested on the curve of her belly. _

"_Hey, it's going to be okay." Emily reassured him._

_Charles sighed and rubbed small circles on her belly. "Hank told us at the beginning that this pregnancy was going to be dangerous; that it was going to be rough. Up until right now, we have been so lucky. Despite everything, nothing has happened to you or the baby." Charles paused and met Emily's gaze. "Now, I have this sinking feeling that all of that is going to come back to haunt us."_

_Emily thought for a moment before she answered. "It's okay to be afraid. That's part of life."_

"_Since when did you become the old wise woman?" Charles asked._

"_Since I met you," she replied sweetly. "You need to go check on the children. I'm sure they are worried about you and are frightened. It will do them and yourself some good to see each other. I will be alright; I want to try and sleep while I can anyways."_

"_If you insist," Charles sighed before reaching towards the crutch Hank had leaned against the wall nearby._

_He hoisted himself to his feet and limped out of the room, trying his best not to lose his balance or look back at his wife._

_He could hear the chatter of the students float down the hall. It was a reassuring sound._

_As he stumbled into the room that held the children he was met by a wave of noise. Everyone seemed to be yelling his name all at once in relief._

_Raven was the first to reach Charles out of the group. She balanced Noelle on her hip and wrapped her opposite arm around her brother tightly. _

"_Oh thank God, Charles." She breathed into his shoulder. _

"_Raven, are you alright?" Charles asked holding her out before him._

"_I'm fine, we all are fine. Your leg! Is Emily okay?" Raven spluttered._

_Erik appeared next to Raven and took Noelle into his arms. "Charles, it's good to see you."_

"_The children? Are any of them hurt?" Charles asked hobbling over to a nearby wall. He leaned against it gratefully. _

"_Your leg, Charles," Raven pressed._

"_I got grazed by a bullet, that's it. The children, Raven." Charles groaned. _

"_They are fine, Charles; a bit shaken, but alright." Erik interjected. _

"_What about Emily?" Raven asked shooing the children that had begun to gather around Charles away._

_Charles sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It looks as if the baby has decided to make an early appearance."_

"_Well then go be with her, you idiot!" Raven exclaimed whacking Charles on the arm._

"_She's the one who told me to come check on all of you!" Charles quipped. _

_He started to hobble back off towards the medical room. Erik stopped him in the doorway where the noise was not so loud. Noelle reached her small hand out towards Charles. She made a small whine._

_Charles gently touched the side of the girl's face reassuringly. _

"_Charles, is Emily ok?" Erik asked in a low voice. His steely eyes met the telepath's crystal blue. _

"_I have a bad feeling. Can you just be prepared if I call for you?" Charles replied._

_Erik nodded in understanding. "Go, my friend."_

_Charles turned and continued his journey towards the medical room. He found Emily asleep surprisingly. She looked so peaceful. _

_She lay close to the wall, curled up as much as her body would allow. Charles carefully sat down next to her and pulled a pillow up behind his back. Gently, he pulled her close to where her head rested on his shoulder. _

_He stroked her hair slowly and closed his eyes, enjoying the last few moments of peace for the night. _


	34. Chapter 34: Beautiful Bird

_A/N: After this there shall be one more chapter to this story. Do not fret...a sequel is in the making. :)_

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><p><em>Chapter 34: Beautiful Bird<em>

_Charles dabbed a wet cloth across Emily's forehead. His heart ached. It had been twelve hours since they had been forced to take refuge in the bunker; twelve hours since Emily had been in labor. _

_Luckily, she had been able to sleep through the first part, but now sleep was not an option._

_Charles wished that he could take some of the burden; some of the pain, but that was impossible. If they had been in an actual hospital Emily wouldn't even be conscious. Then again, Charles would not be allowed in the room with her either, so the situation had a small positive outcome. _

_Emily clenched her jaw together for a moment then slightly relaxed her body._

"_Part of me really wants to hate you right now." She groaned._

_Charles's face fell. "You can hate me. I won't hold it against you," he replied softly._

"_But I love you too much to hate you," she moaned. She attempted to shift her lower half, but only whimpered in pain as a result from the movement. "It hurts so much," she whispered. _

"_I know, love. I know." Charles replied stroking her hair._

_Erik quietly walked into the room with his hands shoved into his pockets. He stood next to the bed where Charles and Emily lie and offered them a small smile. _

"_How's it going?" he asked shifting his weight from one foot to the other._

"_All I need is another three centimeters." Emily said rubbing her stomach up and down._

"_Do you mind sitting here for a bit? I need to go to the bathroom." Charles asked as he sat up, leaning towards his crutch. _

"_Yeah, of course." Erik replied taking Charles's place next to Emily. _

_The two watched Charles exit the room, then Erik turned to look at the woman next to him. _

"_Was it this bad for Raven?" Emily asked tugging her fingers through her matted hair. _

_Erik sighed, "No. You may also be in more pain because of your previous condition." _

_Emily looked down at her stomach and breathed out slowly. "Good point."_

_She continued to tug at her auburn locks, scrunching her eyebrows together when she reached a particularly tangled spot. _

"_Let me," Erik said softly. He pulled a nearby hairbrush into his hand by the metal ring around the middle of it. He gently began to brush out the tangled mess, trying not to pull too hard. Silently, Erik brushed out her hair. He gently nudged her forward so he could part it down the middle into two sections. _

"_Do you have a hair tie?" he asked breaking the silence._

_Emily picked up her wrist and pulled two of the elastic bands off placing them in his outstretched hand._

_Erik took one of the sections and split it into three smaller sections. Slowly, he began to weave the sections together still taking care not to pull._

"_You braid?" Emily asked, looking at him through the corner of her eye. _

_Erik chuckled and wrapped a band around one finished strand, picking up the next right after. "Yes, I do."_

"_Where did you learn to do that? Surely Shaw didn't sit down and have a one on one lesson on braiding." Emily joked._

_Erik laughed, "No, Shaw didn't teach me to braid." He paused for a moment. "My first wife did." Erik finished off the second strand then looked at Emily intently._

"_Wife?" she asked. Her face scrunched up and she grabbed Erik's hand suddenly. He soothingly rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, waiting for the contraction to pass._

"_I've only told Charles and Raven about her before." Erik said quietly. "Does your back hurt?" _

_Emily nodded, trying to regain her composure._

"_I have an idea. This helped Raven, so maybe it will help you." Erik suggested. He instructed her to scoot forward so he could sit behind her. Gently, yet firmly, he rubbed his fingertips into the base of her spine, trying to soothe the tension._

_Emily sighed in relief, her sigh almost breaking into a sob. "Oh my God, that it amazing." She breathed. _

_Erik smiled, "I'm glad."_

"_Tell me more about your wife. Distractions are good." Emily said closing her eyes, relaxing into the metal benders hands._

_She felt him take a deep breath before he spoke. She may not have been as good of telepath as Charles, but she could sense his hesitation._

"_I met Magda pretty much after I escaped Shaw. We both were young and blindsided by this thing you call love. We married and settled down in a small village in Germany. Almost a year after the wedding, Magda had our daughter, Anya. Yes, Noelle is not my first child." He said answering Emily's unspoken question. _

"_However, one day some of the villagers got pretty drunk and set our house on fire…with Anya still inside. I lost my mind after that and went on a rampage throughout the town. Magda became frightened of me…of what I was, so she left me. I discovered three years later that she had died in an accident." Erik explained._

"_I'm sorry, Erik." Emily whispered. _

_Charles hobbled back into the room and raised an eyebrow at the sight before him. "Did I miss something?" he asked._

"_No, your friend is just an amazing masseuse." Emily explained as Erik crawled out from behind her. _

_Charles smiled and took his place beside his wife. _

_Emily smile and leaned up against her husband's chest. Erik took a seat on the stool next to the bed. Emily allowed herself to melt into Charles's arms that he wrapped protectively around her upper body. She smiled slightly then winced in pain. _

_Her whole body tensed up as a searing pain tore through her body. This wasn't a contraction; after twelve hours she knew what a contraction felt like. She felt something warm begin to spread between her thighs causing her to tense up more. _

"_Erik, go get Hank now," she said in a dangerously low voice. _

_Erik jumped up almost immediately and practically flew out the door. _

"_Emily, what's wrong?" Charles asked sitting up to where he could face her._

_She picked up the blanket that was draped over her lower half and blinked back the flood of tears rising in her eyes._

"_I'm bleeding." She whispered trying to keep her voice even. _

_Another searing pain ripped through her body, this time causing her to cry out. She wrapped her arms around her abdomen protectively and let a sob escape her lips. _

_Erik reappeared with Hank right at his heels. Hank grabbed a pair of gloves from the examination table and pulled up his rolling stool to the end of the bed. _

_Emily let out another cry and grasped Charles's hand tightly. "Hank," she croaked through her now steady stream of tears._

_Hank flipped up the blanket and disappeared behind it for a moment before reappearing looking worried. _

"_Erik, hand me that towel. Emily, I need you to try and relax. It looks like the placenta is starting to tear, which is what is causing the bleeding." Hank explained. He placed the towel between her legs, trying to soak up some of the blood. "We're going to have to push soon. Erik, I'm going to need your help." Hank continued._

_Emily cried out again, "Hank, I need to push now!" she yelled. The pain was too much. Her chest heaved with sobs that wracked her entire body. Charles hugged her closed to his chest trying to offer her some comfort. _

"_Hank!" Charles exclaimed, trying to get him to focus._

"_Erik, grab some of those towels and bring that tray over here, quickly." Hank ordered. He let the blanket fall off of Emily's knees allowing him a better field of vision. _

"_Okay, Emily on my count we're going to push. One…two…three…push!" Hank said. _

_Emily held Charles's hand tightly and pushed with all her might. The pain was excruciating. _

"_Come on just a little more! Now stop. Breathe. One…two… three…push!" Hank continued. _

_Emily threw her head back and sobbed as she pushed again. Hank's words began to slur together and her heart thumped loudly in her ears. She could hear Charles whispering in her ear, but what he was saying wasn't registering. _

"_Emily, stop! Wait!" Hank exclaimed. _

_She picked her head up and looked at Hank wildly, "What?"_

"_The cord, it's wrapped around her neck. Hold on," Hank explained quickly. _

_Emily choked back a sob trying not to push. _

"_Okay, we're good." Hank said. He started back up the steady count of one, two, three, push. _

_Emily leaned against Charles and buried her head into his shoulder, soaking his shirt almost instantly. "I can't, I can't do this." She moaned. _

"_Yes, you can. She's almost here, Emily. Our daughter is almost here! I'm here, I won't let anything happened to either of you. You just need to push one more time." Charles urged. _

_Emily sobbed helplessly into his shoulder. _

"_Come on, Em… just one more big push." Hank encouraged. "One…two…three…push!"_

_She took a deep breath and pushed as hard as her tired body would allow. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the burning ring of fire that had engulfed her body dulled significantly. She collapsed against Charles, who let them fall back against the pillows. _

_There was silence._

"_Why isn't she crying?" Emily breathed, "Why…Why isn't my baby crying?"_

_Charles cradled her head and waited. _

_The silence was then replaced with a small wail. Charles let out a sob against the top of Emily's head; the cry was music to his ears. _

_Hank passed off the tiny crying infant to Erik's waiting arms, who immediately started cleaning her off. _

"_Erik," Charles called out, his voice thick with tears._

_The metal bender brought over a small bundle and offered it to Emily. She slowly sat up, ignoring her protesting body. She reached her arms out towards the bundle, a fresh round of tears forming in her eyes. _

_Erik gently laid the bundle down into the mother's waiting arms. "She's beautiful." He whispered before kissing Emily lightly on her temple. _

_The baby continued to cry out, her poor little system in shock of the new cold world. Emily pushed the towel away from the infant's face and smiled. She was beautiful. Charles leaned over and peered at the bundle, his own tears beginning to fall. He took the small hand that had escaped the towel onto his finger. _

_The baby wrapped her tiny fingers around her father's. Her cries slowly died down to whimpers to almost silence. _

"_Charles, we made this. How did we make such a perfect thing as this?" Emily whispered. _

_Charles captured her lips with his; he poured out his soul in that one kiss. He broke away and kissed her on the cheek. _

"_Evelyn," He whispered against Emily's skin. _

_Emily looked up at him. "Evelyn?" _

_Charles bent down and kissed the top of his newborn daughter's head. "It means beautiful bird." He explained. _

_Emily was silent for a moment. She then looked up at Charles and smiled brightly. _

"_Evelyn."_


	35. Chapter 35: Visitor

a/n: Well, here is the conclusion to this long journey. Thank you to all of those that have waited patiently.

This chapter takes place in the present day. I wanted to end the story the way I began it. :)

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><p>Chapter 35: Visitor<p>

The Professor idly flipped through the calendar that lay on his desk coming to a stop at the current month, December.

After all these long years, it was this month that the memories of Emily and Evelyn plagued him the worst. He got joy out of seeing the students' bright happy faces at this time of year, but it was not the same as seeing his own family's happiness.

He could sense that Scott and Jean had become concerned about him. This year it was different. He did not know how to soothe their concerns when he did not know how to soothe his own aching heart.

Charles pushed the calendar aside and backed away from his desk. He glided over to the door and down the hall way towards the living room.

The room was lavished in decorations. Each child had made their own ornament which now hung from the copious wreathes, garland, and massive tree. Charles smiled to himself and gently touched the delicate snowflakes that Rogue had spent hours working on.

He crossed to the window over looking the yard and stopped. He gazed out to see the children playing in the fresh snow that had fallen the night before.

His mind wandered to images of Raven and Erik teaching Noelle how to make a snowman. He could see Hank, Alex, and Sean hosting a massive snowball fight with the younger boys. He could hear Emily's voice in his head scolding the dripping wet boys as they ran for shelter in the house.

"_NO! Not in the house! You boys are getting water everywhere!"_

"_They're boys, Em." Charles laughed ruffling their hair as they passed. _

"_Well, I'm not mopping this up. You, Charles Xavier, can do that yourself," Emily huffed putting her hands on her hips. _

_Charles pulled her close to his body and wrapped his arms around her waist. _

"_Whatever you say, dear," he murmured against her lips._

Charles shook his head as screeches reached his ears. Three of the younger students ran into the room and stopped suddenly when they caught sight of him.

"Oh, sorry Professor. The boys were chasing us and…" one of the girls began.

"It is not a problem girls. Just be careful," Charles finished with a warm smile.

The girls beamed. Two turned around and started off again. One of the girls, however, hung back.

"Professor," she said in a small voice.

"Yes, my dear?"

The little girl quickly shuffled over to him and flung herself up to where her arms wrapped around his neck briefly, then she pulled away. "Merry Christmas." She said smiling sweetly.

Charles sat in silence as the little girl scampered away after her friends.

It was Christmas.

How could he have lost track of time this much? He glanced back out the window to see the sun begin to dip down below the tree line.

Everyone would be heading inside now for dinner.

Charles sighed. He wasn't sure if he could make it through Christmas dinner.

There was a light knock on the frame work of the entry way.

Charles turned to find Scott standing there dressed in a hideous sweater.

"Lost a bet a see," Charles said motioning to the sweater.

Scott rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "Yeah to Logan."

Charles chuckled, "What can I do for you?"

"You have a visitor in the study, sir." Scott said smiling slightly. "I can't say I know who it is though."

"If you do not know who it is then why let them in?" Charles questioned moving closer.

"I didn't let them in! That was all Logan." Scott said in defense.

"Well then," Charles mumbled. He began towards the hall way and paused. "Scott?"

"Yes?"

"Are you following me?"

"Um, yes, sir. Just in case." Scott replied.

Charles nodded and continued on. As he approached the study, he began to become anxious. He could not read who ever was in the room.

'_Erik wouldn't make an appearance on Christmas.'_ Charles thought.

Scott quickened his pace ahead of the Professor and pushed open the door for him.

Charles heart stopped.

"Scott, I will be just fine. Thank you." Charles managed to say. He could see Scott nod before the door shut behind him.

"How?" Charles whispered.

The woman before him chuckled. "What?" she asked in soft voice.

For once, Charles Xavier had run out of things to say. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came.

The woman crossed over to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her soft curly hair brushed up against the side of his face as she leaned in close.

Charles began to relax as he breathed in the family scent and wrapped his arms around her slender frame.

'_Merry Christmas, Father.' _The woman said in his mind, bringing the tears that had developed in his eyes crashing down.

Charles squeezed his daughter tight in disbelief that she stood before him. He held her for what seemed like ages, but neither minded.

Father and daughter silently wept each praying that this was not a cruel joke.

Each praying that there was a little bit of hope after all.


End file.
